


Wicked Witchcraft

by Rustic_Vintage



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Asgard, Avenger Loki, Avengers Tower, Awesome Darcy Lewis, Awesome Frigga (Marvel), BAMF Loki, Canon-Typical Violence, Clint Has Issues, Combat, Domestic Avengers, Don't Try This At Home, F/M, Fluff, Hostage Situations, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, Jane Foster Loves Science, Jötunheimr | Jotunheim, Jötunn Loki, Loki Angst, Loki Does What He Wants, Loki Feels, Loki Gets a Hug, Loki Needs a Hug, Minor Character Death, Miðgarðr | Midgard, Original Character Death(s), Possession, Possessive Loki, Post-Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Post-Thor: The Dark World, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pranks and Practical Jokes, SHIELD, Smut, Sorcerers, Sorceresses, Thor Is a Good Bro, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Vanaheimr | Vanaheim
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2018-10-01 13:54:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 82,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10191404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rustic_Vintage/pseuds/Rustic_Vintage
Summary: Everyone's favorite green-eyed troublemaker has been stripped of his powers and banished from Asgard.  Loki must prove himself worthy to wield magic before he can regain his power.  Part of his sentence is to make himself useful to the people of Midgard by aiding the Avengers and their mortal allies.  Meanwhile, the threat of Thanos is bearing down on Midgard. The Mad Titan is drawn to the realm not only to punish his one-time ally...but to "recruit" another to aid his search for the Infinity Stones.Murielle at one time was one of Tony Stark's favorite engineers and second only to Pepper Potts in his confidence.  However, a series of unfortunate encounters with SHIELD and others left her wandering the world, trying to find her place in it.  Now that she's back in the States, Tony is eager to use her considerable talents to help him and the Avengers.  Murielle learns that there is no such thing as coincidence when she is thrown back into the fray.  Whether she likes it or not, her path is leading her right into the middle of the very thing she's tried to escape.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic ever! I've had this story rattling around in my head for a while now. I've finally decided to commit pen to paper...er, fingers to keyboard.

“I am sorry that you are leaving us.”  The woman seated at the table was always so serene.  Even a casual observer would know that she was extraordinary, aside from her bright yellow robes and eyes that spoke of being more than an “old soul.”  The younger woman standing in the middle of the room shifted her weight from one foot to the next.  She began to feel a pang of guilt as her large blue eyes followed the intricate pattern of the rug under her feet.  Her decision to leave this place had not been an easy one.  She felt the pull of the outside world and the desire to return to her family, but she also had come to call this strange place her home and the people in it were now as family to her.  It was as if she had been cleft in two.

 

The Ancient One’s eyes were warm and understanding.  “You have so much yet to learn here, and the strength to learn it.  However, the desire to embrace those lessons and that power must come from within you.  The doors of Kamar-Taj will always be open to you, should you decide to continue your studies.”  Murielle raised her eyes to meet the Ancient One’s gaze.

 

“I will always be grateful to you for your guidance and patience with me. All that I have learned here will help me survive out there.”

 

At this, the Ancient One smiled and replied, “You have cultivated patience of your own.  As for survival, I believe that you will flourish.  You have no need to fear yourself.”

 

Murielle with a smile of her own acknowledged how far she had come and how far she had yet to go.  She bowed at the waist, taking leave of her teacher.  As the door shut softly behind her, Karl Mordo stepped to his mistress’s side.  “Do you believe that it is wise to allow her to leave now?  Kaecilius will no doubt try to recruit her.”

 

The Ancient One smiled enigmatically at Mordo as she replied, “She is not a desirable recruit for him this early.  However, we have not seen the last of Murielle Bonneau.  A dam may only contain a river so long before water begins to flow over or around it. Now, let us check on our new student’s progress today, Mordo.  You may find him to be a greater challenge than her.  Let us see how Dr. Steven Strange is faring after his first two months here.”

 

Murielle was so accustomed to wearing the robes of the residents of Kamar-Taj that she felt self-conscious in conventional street clothes.  Dressed in jeans with black riding boots, a forest green sweater, and black wool jacket, she knew that she looked like a Westerner.  Murielle needed to order a new wardrobe before leaving Kamar-Taj, considering how much time had passed since her arrival and the effects of physical training (clothes shopping with Amazon Prime was a Godsend).  She was still curvaceous, but Murielle’s unimposing 5’3” frame was considerably leaner than it had been when she arrived.

 

Slinging her duffle bag over her shoulder, Murielle took one last look at the deceptively small façade of the building.  Turning away, she wove through the crowded streets to begin the journey back to her homeland.  She had already contacted her former employer, who seemed intrigued and eager to get her back to work.  She tried to tell him that sending someone to fetch her was unnecessary; however, she didn’t want to divulge that she could make a portal to anywhere she could envision.  Stubborn man that he was, the boss wouldn’t hear of it!  “ _Absence makes the heart grows fonder_ ,” she chuckled to herself.  Not that she had romantic inclinations toward her old/new boss (and vice versa).  It will be interesting to see just how much had changed in the last five years.  “ _Knowing Tony Stark, not a damn thing_.”


	2. Banishments, Homecomings, & Destinations Unknown

They vanished from New York City in a flash of rainbow light.  When the light faded around him and his adoptive brother, Loki stood in the Bifrost Observatory.  Wordlessly, they walked past the Gatekeeper of Asgard, his golden eyes turned upon him and held an almost unreadable blend of suspicion, ire, and sympathy. It seemed like an eternity ago when Loki and Thor battled each other on this spot and when he chose to slip into The Void, rather than forever live in the shadow of his brother.  “ _It would be so easy to jump now_ ,” Loki thought.  “ _To leap over the edge.._.”  As if he had spoken his thoughts aloud, Thor seized his arm and pulled him from the edge of the Bifrost.  “Brother, I’ve already lost you twice.  I will not lose you again.”

 

With a firm hand on Loki’s arm, Thor removed the gag covering Loki’s mouth.  Once free of it, Loki whirled to face his captor.  “I am still lost to you, Odinson!”  Loki snarled his name with such vitriol that Thor looked as though he had been punched in the stomach.

 

“You made your choices, brother.  You survived your fall from the Bifrost, but chose to raise an army to conquer Earth.  You could’ve come home.  We mourned you!  Thought you were lost forever.  Rather than coming home to Mother and Father, you chose the darkness.  Then, given a chance to redeem yourself, you faked your death only to banish our Father to Earth and try to rule Asgard in his stead. Now, you must face the consequences of those choices.”  While Thor’s voice conveyed anger, it also had a twinge with sorrow.

 

Loki’s voice match Thor’s in volume and anger.  “At least it was darkness of _my_ choosing, not the darkness foisted upon me by being in _your_ shadow!”

 

Cold rage radiated off Loki, forcing Thor to take a step back.  The anger in Thor’s eyes dissolved to sorrow.  Sorrow then hardened to resolve.  “Then you are indeed lost to us, Loki.  Come.  The All-Father is waiting for you.”  At these words, guards came forward to further restrain Loki.  Chains were attached to the torc about his neck and his manacles, shackles placed on his ankles, and the whole lot was tied to the chains encircling his waist and the chains held by the guards.  Loki’s entire frame went rigid at being manhandled.  He was a prince of Asgard by adoption and of Jotunheim by birth!  He knew that he had greater purpose than to rot in prison.  Nor would he be the lap dog of the darker forces that had lent him the Chitauri which failed to win him victory on Earth.  He only had to bide his time.  A characteristic smirk formed on his lips as his eyes glowed defiantly with the prospect.

 

Loki entered the Great Hall, the sound of his footsteps and the footsteps of the guards surrounding him echoing off the massive columns.  At the end of the hall sat Odin, the All-Father, his face stern but weary.  His face was etched with grief and the cares he had borne these last five years.  With Frigga dead, Loki fully expected that Odin would now sentence him to death.  He had faked his death and then usurped the throne of Asgard.  The Trickster’s plan would have gone off without a hitch, if it hadn’t been for demons of his past.  He smirked to himself, despite his situation.  “ _In all actuality, things had gone to plan…for about a year._ ”

 

“You may wipe that smirk from your face.”  Odin’s voice held barely restrained fury for his insubordinate son.

 

Loki’s smirk grew into a sneer.  “Is this any way to welcome back your prodigal son?  After all, I did help save the Nine Realms from the Dark Elves by removing the Aether from the body of Thor’s mortal lady love.  Tales of my premature death were greatly exaggerated.”

 

“ _Thor_ , not Loki, saved the Nine Realms by destroying Malekith and securing the Aether!  You sought further chaos by returning here to steal this throne!  Only when your former ally sought your destruction was your deception was unveiled!” Odin was on his feet by now.  Loki stood defiantly, none but his eyes betraying that he was prepared for Odin to smite him right then and there.  Therefore, it surprised Loki when Odin slowly returned to sitting upon his throne, leaning upon Gungnir for support as he did.

 

“I swore an oath to your mother that I would neither kill you nor order your execution, Loki.  You have sorely tested my patience and my resolve to keep that oath.  The aid you provided your brother, while a glimmer of the son beloved of Frigga, is nullified by your treason.”  A shadow of sadness passed over Odin’s face as he spoke the name of his late Queen.  “Since it is power that you seek, it is power that shall be kept from you until you are worthy of it.”

 

Loki remained unmoved by his adoptive father’s tone and invocation of his mother’s name.  He had convinced himself long ago that Odin’s heart was only capable of feeling pride for one son: Thor.  Odin, holding a pendant on a gold chain, slowly rose from his throne.  The green stone in the pendant began to glow and shimmer as he spoke.

 

“Loki Laufeyson, you are not worthy of these Realms.  You are unworthy of your title.  You are unworthy of the loved ones you have betrayed!”

 

“Oh joy.” Loki snarked.  “I even get Thor’s hand-me-down lectures and punishments.”

 

Odin fixed him with a steely gaze from his good eye.  “I take from you your power!  In the name of my father and his father before I, Odin All-Father, cast you out!”  Loki began to feel a great tearing.  At the cellular level, he could feel the magic flee his body.  His mouth was open in a wordless scream; the pain was too great for him to work his vocal chords.  A green mist seemed to gather around him and drift away, swirling into the green stone in Odin’s hand.  He didn’t have long to ponder this, as there was a flash of light engulfing him.  Odin did not often use magic, but he had just teleported Loki to the Bifrost where Heimdall was waiting.  The Gatekeeper, without a word, used his sword to activate the Bifrost and send Loki into exile.

* * *

“You really travel light.  I’m kind of jealous,” said the bemused, impeccably dressed redhead standing by the stairs leading up to the cabin of the private jet.

 

Murielle’s smile was a mile wide as she approached her boss’ girlfriend and the CEO of Stark Industries. Murielle wrapped Pepper up in a tight hug.  “I’m surprised that Tony could spare you to come pick me up.  Will the kingdom stand while you’re away?”

 

Pepper laughed.  “Friday is babysitting Tony in New York, and I’m a phone call away.  I think Stark Industries can handle my absence for a day.”

 

The two women had a long flight ahead and plenty of time for catching up.  Pepper was dying to know what Murielle had been doing for the last five years.  Prior to her departure, she was not only one of Tony’s top engineers, she was the instigator of many a girls’ happy hour and off-the-clock fun.  She even went so far as to start an annual “glamping” trip for all the women in the office.  Working in the testosterone-charged environment of tech and engineering, Murielle was a breath of fresh air to Pepper.  She wasn’t just great at team-building; she was often the voice of reason when the boys went off on some hair-brained scheme.  Pepper looked forward to having someone else to bring some sanity to the three-ring circus that was Stark Industries.

 

Once situated on the plane and in the air, Murielle began asking Pepper about all that she had heard on the news.  After all, she had been at Kamar-Taj, not under a rock.  They covered a lot of ground: the attack on New York, having to rebuild Stark Tower, the new SHIELD facility in upstate New York.  Murielle also asked about the Avengers themselves, and seemed to take a keen interest in Captain America.

 

Pepper couldn’t help but laugh at that last one.  “I thought tall, dark, and handsome was your type.”

 

With a mischievous grin Murielle replied, “For him, I can make an exception.  He seems a little too wholesome, though.  I might have to corrupt him.”

 

Pepper laughed and shook her head, trying to imagine what would happen when Capt. Steve Rogers met Murielle Bonneau.  He would probably hide behind Tony and Clint, maybe even Natasha.

 

Murielle’s mood shifted subtly.  “Will I be working on SHIELD projects?  More specifically, will I have to deal with Nick Fury?”

 

Pepper regarded her friend for a moment.  The way she asked the question spoke of an uneasiness she felt was best left alone for now.  Measuring her words carefully, Pepper responded.  “I am sure that you will have some involvement with the SHIELD projects since that is currently the bulk of our work to-date.  However, you will not be expected to interact with SHIELD’s top brass since Tony is their direct contact.”

 

This answer seemed to lift a weight from Murielle’s shoulders.  The smile returned to her face as she resumed her questions about friends, family, and home.  Murielle planned to return to her family’s ranch on the coast to rest and regroup before resuming her work.  She would be grateful for the quiet and time with her family.

* * *

Loki had enough experience traveling the Bifrost to know how to land on his feet.  However, didn’t have enough experience with getting thrown into it to correct his course.  As he landed on his backside, pain shot up from his tailbone through his spine.  The sensation was jarring and the closest thing to getting Hulk-smashed that he had felt since _that_ unfortunate incident.  Lying on his back, willing the soreness to dissipate, Loki could smell a faint hint of salt in the air along with the smell of warm soil.  He looked around, finding himself in an open field of dried grass and rolling hills.  He could hear insects buzzing around him and saw the sun setting on the horizon beyond the sea.  He had not been to this region before, but he assumed that he was on Midgard.  “ _Of course, Odin would send me here.  Back to the scene of the crime, as it were._ ”

 

Loki’s bitter musings were interrupted by a familiar clap of thunder and flash of light.  He muttered to himself, “Oh, what fresh Hell is this?”

 

As if to answer his question, he saw an all-too familiar silhouette emerge from the dust kicked up by the impact of the Bifrost, caped and holding a big hammer.  Loki’s head fell back as he closed his eyes in sheer disgust.  “ _He’s worse than a lost puppy!  What does he want now?_ ”

 

Even in the low light of dusk, Loki could feel Thor’s shadow grow as he approached.  The exiled God of Mischief decided to play dead (or at least unconscious), rather than deal with the witless oaf.  It was bad enough that he had been stripped of his powers.  The last thing he wanted was to hear Thor gloat over his condition…or worse, fawn over him out of pity.  Even without looking at him, Loki could feel Thor’s eyes examine him.  After what seemed like hours, Thor spoke, “Brother, I know that you’re not dead, and I doubt that you’ve been knocked out completely.  Come.  On your feet.  We must be on our way.”

 

Loki continued to lay there, refusing to move or acknowledge his brother.  Seeing that Loki was not moving, Thor decided to help him out.  He bent over and hefted Loki over his shoulder.  Loki’s least favorite thing in the Nine Realms was being pushed around or manhandled.  Still, he fought his instinct to lash out at Thor, if for no other reason than to have some peace and quiet for however long they needed to travel.  He felt them lift into the air as Thor carried him high into the sky to fly who-knows-where.


	3. The Welcoming Committee

Tony kicked his shoes off and propped his feet up on his coffee table, scotch in hand, remote control in the other.  He was about to start binging on all of the episodes of _The Walking Dead_ that were taking up space on the DVR since the beginning of the new season.  Pepper didn't care for the show, so Tony took advantage of her absence to get caught up.  He had almost killed some of Banner's lab assistants for talking about the show in his presence.  He had to embargo any TWD talk around the Tower, on penalty of being banished to a storage locker.  He was just about to press "Play" on the remote when Friday's voice rang through the penthouse living room.

 

"Sir, Ms. Potts is calling."

 

TWD could wait a few minutes.  "Thanks, Friday.  Put her through."

 

Pepper's smiling face appeared on the screen, behind and to her right was face he hadn't seen in more than five years.

 

"How are my two favorite women in the whole world?  Wait, don't tell me.  You've just spent the 10-hour flight engrossed in girl talk and drinking fruity drunk-girl drinks.  You can't hide it, Pepper.  You've been bursting at the seams with gossip since Natasha has been on assignment for three months.  Murielle, I'm sorry if you've had Tiger Beat/Cosmo overload.  At least you have a few weeks to recover before we get you back to the Think Tank."

 

Pepper rolled her eyes and turned to her fellow passenger.  "Do you see why I'm so happy to have you back?  You're the only other pair of X chromosomes that can deal with this."

 

Murielle chuckled and shook her head.  "I missed you too, boss man."

 

"Where are you ladies at now?"

 

"On the jet," Murielle deadpanned.

 

"Ha ha.  Very funny, smart ass," replied Tony as he made a face.  "Seriously, though, how much longer will you be in the air?"

 

Pepper looked down a screen to her left.  "We should be landing at the Bonneaus' Ranch in about 45 minutes.  Then I'll be back in the air, headed to you."

 

Tony took a sip of his scotch.  "Great!  I can get caught up on _The Walking Dead_ , and there will be some very happy lab techs tomorrow."

 

Murielle quirked an eyebrow toward Pepper, who smiled indulgently at her boyfriend as she shook her head.  "You do need to sleep at some point, Tony."

 

Tony gave her big, puppy-dog eyes.  "Don't worry, Pep.  It's only three episodes.  I will be sleeping like a baby before you get home."

 

They said their good-byes and ended the call.  Tony, once more poised to start his shows, was interrupted by Thor strolling through the glass doors from the balcony outside.  Over his shoulder, was a tall figure, dressed in plain black pants and a green tunic.  The pale skin and long, black hair were a dead giveaway as to who it was.  "Thor!  What the literal fuck is Loki doing here!?!?"

 

"Stark, Loki has been banished from Asgard without his powers.  I followed him here, knowing that he would not do well on his own."  Thor then proceeded to fill Tony in on the All-Father's sentence for Loki.  Tony was skeptical at best.

 

"So you mean to tell me that the All-Daddy has decided to put Reindeer Games in an indefinite time-out and that Earth is going to be his time-out corner?"

 

"If you mean that Odin's decree is that Loki must earn back his powers here on Midgard, then yes."

 

To say that Tony was annoyed at an unwanted houseguest was a mild understatement.  However, knowing that Loki was without his powers help calm him a bit.  Loki being unconscious also helped.  Resigned to the fact that Thor wasn't going anywhere without his brother in tow, Tony sighed.  "Fine.  He can stay here as long as you stay, too.  There's a room on the next floor that's outfitted for...unwilling guests.  It isn't the Ritz, but it'll be comfortable enough for him."

 

Tony led Thor to the elevators, down to the next floor, where the God of Thunder deposited his brother on the bed.  He pulled Loki's boots off and covered him with a blanket before closing the door.  The door didn't have a knob on the inside; the locks hissed as they closed and secured the door.  Loki cracked an eye open and looked around.  Naturally, he had heard Stark's screed and Thor's version of events.  Loki thought as he took in the details of the room, " _Prison here, Prison on Asgard.  What's the difference?_ "  He rolled over to face the wall, his mind starting to formulate an exit strategy.  He had to get away from these fools, soon.

* * *

Luke Bonneau had just returned from town, tapping out a beat on his steering wheel to match the song on the radio.  The young man had the housekeeping service deep clean the Spanish bungalow that belonged to his sister, removing the dust covers from the furniture and wiping down the counters and floors.  He had a huge load of groceries to restock Murielle’s fridge and pantry.  The truck wound its way from the highway along the dusty ranch road that was well traveled by the vehicles of four generations of his family.  The road up to Murielle’s house was lined with vineyards and pastures, to the west there were peek-a-boo views of the Pacific Ocean beyond the rolling hills that were gold in the setting late summer sun.  Luc and his wife Kate lived on the ranch with their two sons, as did his other sisters Marie (and her husband Mark) and Theresa.  Of the four houses, Luke always thought that Murielle’s had the best view.  Hers was the house closest to the coast and could see all the way down to Santa Barbara on a clear day.

 

He was overwhelmed with excitement to hear that his eldest sister was coming back.  She Skyped him and their sisters about her return and her starting back to work with Tony Stark the week before.  Pepper was bringing her straight to the ranch on Tony’s private jet.  Thanks to their father’s love of aviation, the ranch had its own runway and hangar. Bernard Bonneau got his pilot’s license and loved spending time in the air.  He and his wife Alice had been flying to Monterey for their 40th wedding anniversary when their plane crashed near Big Sur.  Bernard, was never able to fly again due to his head injuries. Even if he could, he mourned the loss of his wife, blamed himself for her passing, and swore to never fly again.  He had passed away 6 years ago, leaving his four children with the ranch and winery.

 

Occupied with thoughts of his sister, Luke almost drove headlong into the sudden column of dust, cloud, and lightning that took up the entire hilltop south of Murielle’s house.  He locked up the brakes to avoid it, turning the wheel to the right.  As he did so, the back end of the truck swung around and hit something with a resounding _thud_.  Luc felt the right rear tire blow out before the truck came to a halt.  The young man waited for the dust to settle before he opened the door and went to inspect his truck and to see what he had hit.  His large frame lumbered out of the driver’s side of the truck.

 

The dry grass on the ground was scorched with some sort of symbol that Luke didn’t recognize.  A box, about the length of his forearm was laying on the ground just outside the circle of blackened grass and soil.  There were intricate carvings on the box, with no apparent lack or lock, but there was the faint outline of a seam on the box, which he assumed was the lid.  He tried to pry the box open, but to no avail.  Luke looked at the tire and saw that it was not just blown out.  The wheel sat crooked on the ground, indicating that the rear axle was bent…scratch that. Broken!  The big man shook his head in dismay.  He had melting groceries in the truck and his sister would be landing in 30 minutes.  With an exasperated sigh, he pulled out his phone and called one of his other sisters.  “Theresa?  Yeah, it me.  Can you come down to Murielle’s house?  And Theresa?  Bring the car trailer with you.”

 

Fifteen minutes later, Theresa pulled up with the car trailer attached to her SUV.  Her pale blue eyes, fringed with thick black lashes, widened with shock as she took in the sight before her.  “Jesus Christ, Luke!  What did you do to your truck?”

 

Luke was still baffled, but held out the apparent cause of the damage for Theresa to inspect.  She looked it over, then snorted.  “Well, I guess I know where you’ll be tomorrow.”

 

“Yeah,” he replied, “In the shop, rebuilding the rear end.  C’mon, let’s get the groceries in the Tahoe so we can unload them at Murielle’s.”

 

The two of them made short work of transferring the groceries to Theresa’s vehicle and loading up Luke's truck.  Thank God there was a winch on the trailer and hooks on the front end of Luke's truck.  They got to Murielle’s house, unload groceries into the fridge and pantry, then head up to the hangar just in time to see a Stark Industries owned jet approaching from the southwest.  Marie and her husband were already waiting at the hangar, as were Luke's wife Kate and their two sons.  Everyone looked at Luke and Theresa, wanting to know what the hell broke Luke's truck so badly that it end up on a trailer.  He gave everyone a sardonic smile and held up the box, “I found a welcome home present for Murielle.”

 

Before anyone could ask for any further explanation, the door of the jet open and the stairs came down to meet the runway.  Murielle emerged from the jet, grinning ear to ear.  She jumped down past the last two stairs and ran to the waiting arms of her family.  Pepper looked on from the top of the stairs as her friend was greeted with warm hugs and happy tears.  After everyone had been greeted, Murielle noticed Luke's truck up on the trailer.  She cocked an eyebrow as she said, “I see that some things never change, Luke.  You must still enjoy fixing things, since you break them so often.”

 

Luke pretended to be offended at this.  “You know what, sis?  I used to like you!”  This only served to make Murielle and the rest of the family laugh heartily.

 

Murielle turned to see her friend come down the stairs to meet her family.  Pepper knew that Murielle came from a large family, but didn’t realize that just how large.  She also wasn’t prepared for a whole group of people that looked like her friend.  Murielle and her brother Luke were most similar in appearance, even though he was a foot taller than his eldest sister.  Brother and sister both had dimples when they smiled, deep blue eyes, and dark brown hair.  Marie and Theresa had fairer complexions and were slightly taller than Murielle; Marie’s eyes were almost aqua and Theresa’s were pale blue with dark-rimmed irises.

 

Luke's wife Kate, upon being introduced to Pepper, asked if Pepper was sure that she couldn’t stay for supper.  Kate was a petite woman who obviously ran the house by the sheer force of personality, despite her small frame.  She was Murielle’s height with a slender build, blonde hair, light brown eyes, and a faint dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose.  While Kate was obviously not one to take “no” for an answer, Pepper graciously declined her invitation.  “I have to get back to New York tonight.  However, I plan on seeing you all again soon.  Murielle has invited Tony and I to come out later this fall to go wine tasting during harvest season.”

 

Pepper bid everyone goodbye and, giving Murielle a hug, boarded the jet to head east.  Everyone watched as the jet taxied and then took off down the runway.  Once it was airborne, Murielle turned to her nephews, “Well, boys.  Your old auntie needs help with her luggage.  After dinner, we will have to play some Mario Kart, right?”  The boys fought over who was going to carry Murielle’s duffel bag.  In the end, they both grabbed a handle and ran to the vehicles.

 

Luke handed Murielle the box that he had found with his truck.  "That's the culprit."

 

Murielle ran her hand over the top of the box, noting that there was a detailed carving of a tree on the lid.  A large snake wound around the roots of the tree; the snake's eyes were set with emeralds.  She looked for a clasp or keyhole, but found none.  Just holding the box, Murielle felt something odd.  It was the sort of feeling that usually came over Murielle when she had encountered relics at Kamar-Taj or any of the Sanctums.  There was magic involved here, without a doubt.  What made it different is that whatever was in the box seemed to be...alive?  "How did this end up on the ranch, Luke?"

 

Luke took off his ball cap and scratched his head.  "I dunno, sis.  It just sort of fell out of the sky.  I remember a lot of dust and a flash of light.  Then I had a broken rear axle and blown out tire.  I probably bent the wheel, too."

 

"Well, I don't know what it is, but I can find out."  She set the box in her lap as she took her seat in Marie's SUV.  They all headed to the main house for dinner.  From there, Murielle would get her truck out of the farm shop and drive home.  " _It wouldn't be a day in my life if it wasn't weird.  How much weirder could things get?_ " she thought as they bounced along the dirt road.  In the back of her mind, Murielle thought she heard a voice saying, " _You have no idea how strange things are going to be from here on out._ "

* * *

 

 

~The Next Morning: Somewhere in the Desert~

 

Dr. Erik Selvig was a mess.  He had barely had time to get dressed, was wearing mismatched socks, his shirt was half untucked, and he made a literal paper trail as loose sheets fell to the ground behind him in the hallway.  “Director Coulson, we have some atmospheric data from the coast of California that you might want to see,” he called out to the man in the black suit who was walking ahead of him.  Things had been quite chaotic since the “death” of Nick Fury and the re-location of whatever SHIELD assets Phil could get his hands on.  Dr. Selvig was his own brand of chaos, so he fit right in.

 

“What do you have for me, Doc?”  Phil slowed his pace a bit, but kept walking to his office.

 

“Our readings closely match the observations Dr. Foster and I made with the Asgardian Bifrost in New Mexico.  We have three anomalies, both located about 90 miles north of Port Hueneme.  The area is rural, but the first two events were within 30 minutes of each other.  The last event was almost an hour after the second.  Since we did not anticipate any visitors from Asgard, it may warrant an investigation.”

 

They had, by now, reached Phil’s office.  Phil sat at his desk, inviting Erik to sit in one of chairs opposite him.  Erik, a bundle of nervous energy, chose to stand.  After taking a sip of his coffee, Phil considered a course of action.  “What do you mean they 'closely' match?”

 

Selvig ran his hand through his messy hair, making it stand on end even more.  “We have been able to determine that the electromagnetic signatures for persons traveling the Bifrost is different from that of objects.”

 

“You mean like the difference between Thor and The Destroyer?”

 

“Exactly.  We have also been working to pinpoint differences between our more frequent visitors.  However, for right now, the best we can do with any accuracy is distinguish between a lifeform and an inanimate object.”  Selvig then produced a graph which didn’t mean anything to Coulson, but the scatter-brained astrophysicist explained that one of the events was most likely Thor, but the last occurrence had a reading that indicated an inanimate object had been dropped.  The first event had a lifeform reading, the EM markers were too faint for it to be an Asgardian.

 

Coulson mulled this information over before he spoke.  “We don’t want to raise any unnecessary red flags.  Check with the Avengers to see if any contact has been made with Thor.  If not, then we should contact the land owner to see if we can visit the sites.  We’ll research the assessor’s records for the county to see who owns property in the area.  Send the coordinates of the landing site locations to me.”

 

Erik nodded in agreement, “I will send those to you as soon as I am back at my computer.”  He scurried out of Phil’s office, almost knocking over a junior agent who was busy reading something on her smartphone.  Phil was already looking at Google Earth at the stretch of coast north of Port Hueneme.  Much of it was either developed or part of the state parks system.  However, there were a few places that look rural.  Erik got him the coordinates, which Phil used to create pins in Google Earth.  They landed on the coast north of Santa Barbara.  Phil pulled up the assessor map layer to get parcel numbers.  A little more digging revealed the owner of the land.  Director Coulson, who was rarely shocked by anything these days, found himself trying to not choke on his last sip of coffee.  To no one in particular, he muttered, “You have got to be kidding me!  Of all the people…”

 

Director Coulson didn’t know if _she_ was there.  If she was, this would be infinitely more difficult.  No one, and he did mean no one, was more fiercely protective of her family and her privacy than Murielle Bonneau.  Still, he needed answers and whether she was there or not, it looked like Phil Coulson was taking a trip to California.

* * *

 

Loki had just awoken from a fitful night’s sleep in a secured room at Stark Tower.  The room was sparse, windowless, and undoubtedly wired with security devices.  Every time he closed his eyes and drifted off, he saw The Void and heard The Other’s voice.   _“If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he cannot find you!  You think you know pain?  He will make you long for something as sweet as pain!”_   Loki knew that The Other was no longer among the living, but even so that creature’s master still lived.  He knew that it wouldn’t be long until the monster came looking for him again.  While his magic being sealed from him left Loki unable to defend himself, Odin’s banishment may have bought him some time.  If only he could get some distance between him and The Avengers.  Loki knew that Thanos had been watching them since the attack on New York, or else he was being paranoid.  “ _Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean you’re not being watched_ ,” Loki thought wryly.

 

“Friday, what has our guest been up to?”  Tony wanted to make sure that he and Thor wouldn’t be greeted by a nuclear warhead fashioned out of pocket lint, a gum wrapper, and a paper clip when they opened the door to Loki’s room.  A screen popped up above the kitchen counter as Tony sipped his coffee.  It showed a montage of footage from the cameras in the room with time stamps.  “It looks like your brother’s having trouble sleeping.”

 

Thor’s brow creased with concern.  “That is not like him.  He is a light sleeper, but he is not one to be awoken by night terrors.”  From the look that Tony gave him, he clearly wanted to know how Thor would have this information.  “He’s my brother.  We spent many nights before and during battles getting what rest we could.  I was always envious of his ability to simply will himself to sleep.”

 

“Lucky son of a bitch.  I wish I could do that!” replied Tony.

 

“Something must be troubling him for this to occur.  The nightmares of one such as Loki are a terrible thing, indeed.”

 

Tony looked at the God of Thunder, who was obviously worried for his very disturbed (and disturbing) younger brother.  “Do you think that you could get him to talk?”

 

Thor shrugged.  “I can try.  Loki has always kept his own council, with rare exception of consulting with our mother.  However,” Thor’s eyes got a faraway look, “with Mother gone, I do not know of any who could reach him.”

 

The normally snarky billionaire inventor felt sorry for his friend.  “Well, he’s going to have plenty of time to think it over at the SHIELD facility.  We can’t keep here.”  Thor nodded slightly, wondering what would become of his brother.  Just then, a call came from the SHIELD facility.

 

When Tony answered it, the screen revealed Capt. Steve Rogers and Clint Barton.  Cap spoke first, “Tony!  Thor’s there with you?”

 

“Yes, I am here, Capt. Rogers.  It is good to see you and Clint Barton.”

 

“SHIELD has come to us to ask if you were aware of any Asgardian visitors that might’ve landed in California.”

 

Tony and Thor exchanged a look that neither Steve nor Clint could interpret.  Tony was the one who answered.  “Thor was the one who came down, if they are asking.”

 

Clint shifted in his seat.  “See, that’s the thing.  SHIELD pick up on _three_  Bifrost events in about the same location.  The first two were less than 30 minutes apart.  Thor, did someone come before or after you?”

 

Thor had hoped to forestall this as much as he could.  However, he knew that Tony was right: Loki could not stay at Stark Tower forever.  Tony spared Thor by speaking first.  “We will be up there soon.  We can talk about it then.”

 

When Tony hung up on them, Clint and Steve sat there for a moment.  Clint turned to Steve, “I have a bad feeling about this.”

* * *

Their arrival at the new SHIELD facility in upstate New York wasn’t met with warm greetings.  As far as Loki could tell, everyone was mad at Thor for not convincing Odin to keep him on Asgard.  They were also mad at Odin for… how did Stark put it? “Passing the buck?”  However, once they learned that he could be made useful (even if it was unwilling), Thor’s friends were a bit mollified.  Thor took Loki aside after a lengthy and rather animated discussion with the Avengers (filled with poisonous glares directed at the incapacitated God of Mischief).

 

Loki’s voice was dripping in sarcasm.  “I am shocked and appalled at my reception here, Thor.  It leaves much to be desired.”

 

“Now is not the time for smart remarks, Loki,” Thor said with a warning glare.  “There is little wonder that these people are displeased with your presence here.  I only wish to give you some brotherly advice.  You would do well to be cooperative.  Who knows?  You may even get to know them as I have.  You might even forget trying to be a villain.”

 

“I doubt that _they_ will let me forget that I’m a villain, brother.”

 

“It will take time.  For some, it may never happen.  You won’t know until you try.”  With that, Thor turned to the sky.  “Heimdall, when you’re ready.”  The familiar flash of rainbow-colored light shot down from the heavens and engulfed Thor.  Loki then realized that he had been well and truly exiled.

 

While Loki’s magic was bound from him, he was still able to “make himself useful” by allowing SHIELD’s scientists to speak to him about the machinations of Asgardian technology, particularly the Bifrost and energy generation.  They would also be able to call upon Loki to help them identify other alien threats.  “ _Odin could not have devised a more perfect punishment for me_ ,” Loki thought as he resigned himself to being SHIELD’s unwilling guest.  For now.


	4. Chasing White Rabbits

Murielle woke up from another dream.  It wasn't so much a dream, as it was a remembrance of events past.

 

During her time at Kamar-Taj, she had learned about the movements of the cosmos in a very tangible way.  While the rest of the world had seen Dark Elves invade the Earth by attacking Greenwich, Murielle had been practicing making portals to transport herself across great distances a few days earlier.  Under the watchful eye of Master Mordo, Murielle was trying to make a portal to Pismo Beach.  Mordo asked her why she had chosen the place.  "For two reasons," she replied.  "One is because I grew up not too far from there.  The other is because of the Bugs Bunny cartoon."

Mordo gave her a strange look.  "Oh c'mon!  Remember?  He tunnels under the door to Ali Baba's cave and pops up shouting, 'Pismo Beach and all the clams we could eat!'"  Mordo was still confounded by her reference.  Meanwhile, one of the other students had heard her and was snickering.  He was relatively new and not very good yet, but he was persistent.  Murielle's face had brightened up at that.  "See?  He gets it!"

 

Mordo just shook his head, not seeing the humor in any of it.  She shrugged and continued with making the portal.  Soon a circle of sparks materialized before her, the image within revealing an overcast sky, rolling waves, and a long, wooden pier.  The wind blew the sea spray and sound of gulls through the portal.  She stepped through, but suddenly the beach, the pier, and gray skies were gone!  Instead, she found herself crashing into two men, easily a foot taller than her, wearing gold armor and carrying the ends of a chain that was tethered to a tall, black haired man with brilliant green eyes.  The two armor-clad men cried out in surprise and immediately drew their swords.  Green eyes just looked on in amusement.  She was about to say something cheeky to the handsome man, but the other two were hell-bent on ruining the moment.  "Halt!  Intruder!  Halt in the name of the All-Father!"

 

She had no idea who they were or where she was.  All she knew was that she had portal jumped somewhere unintentionally.  "Sorry, boys.  Don't mind me.  I'm just passing through."  With that, she took off running, trying to form a portal with her sling ring to go back to Kamar-Taj.  No such luck.  She skid around pillars, sliding across the golden floor.  More guards came seemingly from out of nowhere, these ones carrying spears.  She kept on moving, and they kept on shouting and chasing.  After clearing one balcony railing, then another down below, she thought that she was free of them.  No, that would've been simple.  Instead, she had apparently invaded the Queen's private wing of the palace. She landed with a hard thud on her back in the middle of a terrace and soon had ten spear tips in her face.  The guards hauled her to her feet and frog-marched her back to where she had come from, obviously taking the long way 'round.  She was passing Green Eyes on her way in, when he winked at her conspiratorially.  He thought it was so damn funny!  "Good luck, little fox.  You're going to need it."

 

It wasn't the first time that she had thought of that day, but it kept popping into her head with increasing frequency.  Oh well.  She didn't have time to think about that now.  She had to hustle up to the main house to eat breakfast and saddle up for a day of gathering cattle.  She got dressed, tugged on her boots, and headed out the door.

* * *

 

Phil Coulson had just gotten off the phone with Agent Maria Hill, and he was just plain pissed off.  He had not been anywhere near the Avengers since his resuscitation (more like resurrection).  Nick Fury thought it was for the best and Coulson agreed.  However, that didn’t mean that he wasn’t privy to their whereabouts or what was going on.  That alien megalomaniac that stab him right through the heart and had brought down an invading army with the Tesseract was back on Earth!  Thankfully, he was being contained in upstate New York, and according to Hill he didn’t have his powers.  Coulson was still uneasy about Loki being exiled to Earth and would’ve preferred him imprisoned or cryogenically frozen and dropped to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.  That at least answered the question of who it was that used the Bifrost.  Coulson still had to figure out what was sent with him.

 

Coulson always liked this part of California.  It wasn’t Los Angeles or San Francisco, but it was close enough to either that it could be reach by a 3-hour drive or 20-minute jet ride.  He also remembered the last time he had to come here, to this actual house.  It wasn’t such a pleasant trip.  He knew that it was home to Murielle Bonneau’s family, but he had hoped and prayed that she was not here.  All the way in from the landing field near Vandenberg AFB, Phil had watched the beautiful coastline weave in and out of his vision until they reached the Pacific Coast Highway.  He had heard that Murielle was gone, somewhere in Asia.  There were rumors, though, that she planned to return and begin working for Stark again.  THAT would be a problem.  The bigger problem now was a question of if they had any unexpected visitors and if so, whom.

 

The SHIELD vehicles pulled to a stop on the dirt road when three riders came into view.  One of them was clearly a woman.  Just as he opened the door, the woman in a gray Cal Poly t-shirt, green ball cap, and wrap-around sunglasses pulled the reins of her horse to slow his pace.  He also saw the three mounted men following her.  Director Coulson immediately recognized her.  " _Shit_.  _This won’t be easy_."

 

“Agent Coulson, what a disagreeable surprise.”  Murielle’s voice could freeze the Sahara.

 

“It’s Director Coulson now, Murielle.”

 

Murielle sneered in return.  “Oh?  Fury has decided to finally retire?  Or was he forced out as he should have been five years ago?”

 

Coulson knew that she was trying to goad him.  He calmly replied, “Nick Fury is dead, Murielle.”

 

The woman seemed to pause for a moment, then regained her hostile posture.  “Well, forgive me if I don’t don sackcloth and ashes to mourn his passing.  I’m sure however he bit the dust, the sonofabitch earned it.”

 

“Fury did a lot of things, Murielle.  Some of them were terrible things,” Coulson shook his head, “even to people who trusted him with their lives.  He always did it with the goal of protecting the innocent.”

 

Murielle could feel the rage boiling up from within.  It crept into her voice.  “So the ends justify the means, Coulson?  What a good little foot solider you are, even as you wear the title of _Director._ ”  She hurled his rank at him as if it was an insult.  “What’s next?  ‘I was just following orders’?”

 

Coulson didn’t want to rile Murielle any more than she already was.  He assumed she had a grip on her abilities, but he didn’t want to learn the hard way.  “I didn’t come here to talk about SHIELD’s transgressions, or yours, Murielle.  I came to ask your family’s permission to conduct a search on the property.”

 

“As opposed to your usual approach of ‘seek forgiveness rather than permission’?”

 

“I know that protecting your land is a sensitive subject, especially since your family earns a living from it.  We have reason to believe that there are at least two travelers from Asgard and that they landed on this ranch.  Who are two guys that are riding with you?”

 

Murielle kept her poker face, with the help of her sunglasses.  “One of them is my brother.  The other is my sister’s husband.  Why?  You have us under surveillance now?”

 

Coulson walked up to her and her horse to hand her a manila folder.  “Dr. Erik Selvig and his team had some unusual readings of the atmospheric conditions here a few nights ago.  We are simply looking for evidence of the landing site and who our guests are.”

 

She flipped through the pages, there was no aerial imagery.  However, if she was reading the graphs correctly they not only identified that it was Bifrost activity, but they nailed the time down to the minute and the location within a 50-foot radius.  If she denied him access, he would become suspicious and sneak on to the ranch anyway.  She couldn’t give him carte blanche, though.

 

After a few minutes’ deliberation, Murielle spoke.  “You have my permission to search the land, under the following conditions.  First, you will not disturb anyone in the houses.  These are private residences, all falling under the laws of the US federal and California state governments and are protected against unwarranted search and seizure.  Second, you will restrict your search area to the coordinates shown on the map and the 50-foot radius margin of error Dr. Selvig has postulated in his report.  Third, You WILL NOT leave any surveillance equipment on the ranch.  If I see so much as a USB cable left behind, I will have my lawyers crawling ten feet up your ass from now until Doomsday.  Finally, your team’s access and egress will be recorded via text message or email with at least two hours’ advanced notice for arrival and immediate notice for departure.  If you can’t or won’t accept my terms, feel free to return with a search warrant and the sheriff.  Oh, I should remind you that one of my sisters is a sheriff’s deputy in this county. So, good luck with that.”

 

Coulson stared at her through his sunglasses, his face set in hard lines.  She returned his stare like a sphinx.  After a few moments to consider her terms, Coulson sighed.  She was giving him enough leeway to be considered reasonable, but not giving him everything that he wanted.  Coulson hoped to walk away with something, rather than come up empty-handed.  In other words, Murielle painted him into a corner.

 

“Are you sure that your talents aren’t being wasted as an engineer, Murielle?  You ought to be a lawyer.”  Murielle got the distinct feeling that it wasn’t a compliment, but she let it slide.

 

“Are we agreed, Coulson?”

 

“Agreed.”

 

“Good.  Now beat it so I can continue enjoying the rest of my day.”

 

Satisfied for now with the permission that was granted, Coulson climbed back in the black SUV and headed back out to the highway.  Once the vehicles were out of sight, Murielle visibly relaxed.  She rode back up to Luke and Mark, a slight scowl darkening her face.  Both men could tell that Murielle wasn’t pleased, but she didn’t look as hostile as she did minutes ago.

 

Luke studied his sister.  As she drew closer, he asked, “What was that all about, Murielle?”

 

His sister shook her head in disgust.  “SHIELD.  They were asking for permission to check out some stuff on the ranch.”  She handed Luke the manila folder that Coulson had given her as she continued.  “Apparently, they have a network of sensors that reads atmospheric activity.  They have determined that there were some…uh, visitors from another world that landed here last night.”

 

Mark snorted, “Well, ET hasn’t shown up to ‘phone home’ at my house.  How about you guys?”

 

“It might explain where Luke’s truck-destroying box came from…” Murielle’s voice trailed off as she looked to the northwest, toward her house.  She could see the spot where Luke had broken down.

 

Luke derailed her train of thought.  “Are you sure that you’re fine with them being here?  The last time they were, you were almost arrested and taken in by that one bald, one-eyed SOB.”

 

Murielle offered her brother a wry smile.  “Yeah, but that might have had to do with the fact that I almost blew up his car with him inside it.”

 

She turned her attention back to the maps in the folder.  Murielle saw that the other two were southeast of their present location.  They were still on the ranch, but way out in the cattle pastures at the foot of the coastal mountains that normally towered above the marine layer and bisected the Bonneau Ranch.  East of the mountains, the landscape was more rugged but no less beautiful.  She didn’t know who would’ve come down with that damn box, but she was going to ask her boss for an introduction to someone who might.  That would have to wait, though.  Right now, she had work to do on the ranch.

 

* * *

 

~A Week Later~

 

Stark Industries’ West Coast offices were abuzz.  Even when Tony Stark was not around, work continued despite relocating many of his operations to Stark Tower in New York.  The boss like to maintain a foothold in Los Angeles. The activity level had greatly increased because one of Stark Industries more notorious former employees was returning to work after an extended leave of absence.  Murielle Bonneau had suddenly departed over five years ago.  Other than a two-line email from Mr. Stark himself, there was no other news of why she was gone or where.

 

Up until the day she fell off the face of the earth, Murielle was Tony’s right hand in all things infrastructure.  She was instrumental in developing Stark Tower and numerous “black box” projects Stark had been contracted to do for SHIELD.  Rumors swirled about her departure.  Some alleged that she had been more than Tony’s in-house structural engineer, and her departure was at Pepper’s insistence.  Others said that she got sideways with SHIELD and was booted off the projects.  Still others thought that she was a HYDRA agent or working for a rival company, stealing trade secrets from Stark Industries.  The only people to know the truth of the matter stayed silent, other than to say that “Ms. Bonneau has always been a part of the team here at Stark Industries and deserves to have her privacy.”

 

Now, the subject of so much break room talk was on her way back from Asia.  Ms. Potts took a private jet to pick her up and take her to the Bonneau Ranch, north of Santa Barbara.  Of course, this fueled some speculation as to the conversations that had taken place on the 10-hour flight across the Pacific the week before.  “Why would Ms. Potts go to pick her up if she hated her so much?”  Jimmy, the new intern, was in the break room with some of the mid-level engineering staff eating lunch and couldn’t help overhearing the conversation.  Three pairs of eyes turned his way as if he were growing horns from his forehead.

 

The first to speak up was a woman in her early 50’s who looked to be perpetually constipated.  “When else was Pepper going to lay down the law?  Tony is practically giddy at the thought of Murielle’s return.  It’s disgusting!”

 

“Oh c’mon, Sara.  Isn’t it possible that Murielle was actually one of Tony’s favorites because she’s good at her job?”  Robert, a rather bookish looking man of medium height and slight build looked at the older woman over the top of his black-rimmed glasses.  He was a classmate of Murielle’s from college and knew Sara’s penchant for spreading vicious rumors about younger, more talented, staff of the female persuasion.

 

Sara let out a derisive snort.  “That doe-eyed innocent act may have fooled you, Robert.  Then again, it would fool most men who prefer women.  She wasn’t even 30 years old when Tony handed her the Stark Tower project.  HANDED IT TO HER!”

 

“Youth aside, you have to admit that Murielle has more going on than a pretty face.  She is savvy when it comes to dealing with the contractors.  I haven’t seen so much horse-trading in my life!”  This begrudging compliment came from Mike, who was built like a linebacker that hadn’t trained in a few years.  Mike always considered himself a superior project manager on the ground.  However, Murielle watched budgets like a hawk and found some… discrepancies in the invoicing and the work being performed.  Rather than go to Tony with this information, she had personally confronted Mike in a rather tense meeting in a closed office trailer that involved Murielle tearing him a new one and compelling him to bring the less scrupulous contractors in, one by one, to explain that their services would no longer be required.  The project was completed ahead of schedule and under budget, which earned Mike’s reluctant respect.  He resented the younger woman for showing him up, but appreciated the tact she had in handling the situation.

 

“Humph,” Sara responded.  “She has pull with the contractors for the same reason that she has pull with Tony.  She walks in, bats those big eyelashes, and gets them thinking with the wrong part of their anatomy.  I doubt that she limits herself to flirting.”  The two older men shifted uncomfortably in their chairs.  Jimmy, who was facing the door, sat with his mouth agape and fork frozen in mid-air.  Her back to the door, Sara had to turn around to see what had unnerved her companions.  Standing in the doorway, wearing a million-dollar smile that didn’t reach her eyes, was the hot topic of the day.  Her eyes were fixed on Sara and not their usual brilliant blue.  They were steel grey, taking on the color of a merciless stormy sea.

 

Sara began to squirm.  “Sara, it is so good to see you again.  My, how little things have changed.”  One could almost swear that the temperature in the room dropped to freezing.  Satisfied that the older woman was quite embarrassed, Murielle’s attention turned to Robert.  By this time, he had stood from his seat and was walking over with his arms outstretched.  Murielle’s smile lit up, anger dissipated from her eyes, as she embraced Robert warmly.  “Long time, no see Mitchell.”  Murielle never called Robert by his given name, he returned the favor.

 

“Jesus, Bonneau!  You don’t call, you don’t write.  I had given you up for dead.”  Murielle could tell that Robert was only half kidding.  She felt terrible about not telling him, but she was under the strictest orders to say nothing.  Her silence bought her peace of mind, and the distance she needed to sort everything out.  “We definitely have some catching up to do,” she replied as she turned to shake hands with Mike.

 

He took her hand in one of his big paws and was surprised by the firm grip that she had.  “Working out much, Murielle?”  With a glint in her eye, “Or else you haven’t been working out enough, old man.”  There was no malice in her voice, just good-natured sass and dash of sarcasm.  Her gaze fell on the dumbstruck intern, and her expression soften.  “I’m guessing that you’re one of the interns.  My name is Murielle Bonneau, but I’m sure you already got that.”  Jimmy finally found the words to stumble through an introduction.  “ _Poor kid_ ,” Murielle thought.  “ _He’s a bundle of nerves.  God only knows what he’s heard in the last 48 hours_.”

 

Pepper entered the break room.  “Murielle, we have done a little remodeling since you were last here.  Let me show you to your new office.”

 

“Thanks, Pepper.  Were you able to get my things out of storage?”

 

“Yes.  Tony was amazed at how much “shit” you have,” Pepper giggled.  Murielle gave her a side-eyed glance in response.

 

Pepper held her hands up in mock defense.  “His words, not mine.”  Both women laughed.

 

“The boss man has no room to talk,” replied Murielle with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.  “Has he found the Golden Santa yet?  He’s had five years to look.”

 

“Oh no!  I had almost forgotten about the Golden Santa!”  Pepper began to laugh so hard that tears formed at the corners of her eyes.  The two women left the break room chatting like old girl friends, their laughter echoing down the hall.

 

Robert looked from Sara to Mike.  “Well, I guess that rumor is dead and buried.”

* * *

Most days, Maria Hill found something that reminded her of why she chose to be a SHIELD Agent.  Whether it was knowing that he was part of a team responsible for the security of the planet, the camaraderie that he shared with her fellow agents, getting to interact with the Avengers, or having the latest and greatest technology at her fingertips, Maria took joy in her work.  However, there were occasions where she wondered if she wouldn’t be happier as a beat cop in a small town.  As she stood in the conference room in front of the Avengers, Nick Fury, and a very contemptuous guest, she made a mental note to check the job postings for the police department in Fredonia, Kansas.  Fredonia sounded like a nice, friendly town.  A town where she wouldn’t have to investigate bizarre crime scenes.  Crime scenes like the ones that she had to visit with Forensics in Los Angeles and San Francisco yesterday morning and was discussing the team right now.

 

“The perpetrators appear to be highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat, without the use of conventional weaponry.” Hill offered dry commentary as she clicked through the slide show, pausing at each of the photos that she and the forensics team took of the scene in LA.  One photo elicited a reaction from the dark-featured man, wearing a Judas Priest t-shirt.

 

“What happened to the other half of that guy’s head?”  Tony Stark was glad that he didn’t have time for breakfast this morning. While Tony was stuck on the guy who was laying on the floor with his head split in half, the wound cauterized (and the other half of his head missing), Capt. Steve Rogers was squinting at the top half of the photo.

 

“What happened to the roof?”  Capt. Rogers’ question drew everyone’s attention to the exposed truss work in the warehouse.  Sure enough, there was blue sky where a roof should have been.  What remained of the trusses were a wreck. The corpses of four men were hanging from the rafters in a rather contorted fashion.  Agent Hill answered, “We are still working on how those men landed up there, but when we recovered the bodies it appeared that they suffered blunt force trauma.”  Several people around the table winced.  Everyone was in awe.  Well, almost everyone.  One man at the end of the conference table was decidedly nonplussed.  Regardless of his reaction, Maria continued with her report.

 

She clicked to the next slide, which showed a close-up of one of the men found on the warehouse floor.  This man’s wounds consisted of lacerations with burn marks on the edges.  The body next to him was missing its head and the neck was cauterized.  “As you can see, these two were attacked with a heated blade weapon.  The decapitated victim’s head was found about 50 feet away, next to the body of another vic who appears to have been severely beaten with an ammunition canister.”  In the background of the photo was a large drab green metal box with an indent perfectly matching the contours of the beaten man’s face.

 

Fury was unflappable when he asked, “Do we have surveillance footage of the building yet?”

 

“Friday is working to compile all of the footage in an around the building from the last 24 hours,” replied Tony.

 

“Do we have any idea of who these men were and what they would’ve been doing?”

 

Maria’s brow furrowed.  “We are still working on a motive, sir.  However, this warehouse and the abandoned red-brick in San Francisco are owned by the same corporation.  We are trying to ascertain just what the owners of these two buildings do that would attract this sort of attention.”

 

At this point, Agent Hill’s presentation was interrupted by loud crunching from the very end of the conference table.  All eyes turned to face the tall, pale man with his feet propped up on the table, snacking on sea salt and vinegar Kettle Chips.  While the man’s features betrayed no emotion beyond a faint smirk, his emerald green eyes held a mixture of contempt for the rest of the meeting’s attendees and amusement and insolence.

 

“Hey, Reindeer Games!  Could you keep it down?”  Tony’s irritation was shared by everyone else present.  Clint Barton was beyond irritated; he was positively murderous with the idea of Asgard’s exiled prince being anywhere but a prison cell…or on a slab in the morgue.

 

Wordlessly, Loki removed the largest chip from the bag and crunched down on it as loudly as he could.  Loki continued to chew slowly and methodically, never breaking eye contact with Stark. Steve and Natasha rolled their eyes in disgust. Loki had done his level best to make sure that everyone in the building felt his presence and was thoroughly inconvenienced by it since his arrival.  His favorite victims appeared to be Tony and Clint, most likely because they yielded the biggest reactions.  However, Loki’s behavior seemed vastly improved when Dr. Banner was present.  Audible snacking was the least offensive thing that he had done in the last week.

 

Loki’s thoughts turned toward the intel presented by Agent Hill.  The combination of mayhem wreaked upon the unidentified captors and the contents of the cell would be an interesting puzzle for Loki to solve.  After all, he had been bored to tears during his first week of captivity at the SHIELD facility.  Midgardians had a saying about idle hands being the devil’s playthings, and how true it was!  He knew that if he was to survive his incarceration, he would need to occupy his time with _something_.  Judging by the expressions of disdain and annoyance directed his way, a simple offer of assistance wouldn’t get him anywhere near that warehouse.  Visual evidence was helpful, but Loki could learn so much more if he were physically present.  So many clues, gone unnoticed.  It was a squandered opportunity.  Pity.

 

The briefing was once again interrupted, this time by Friday.  “Sir, Ms. Potts and Ms. Bonneau have arrived in the Los Angeles office.  Shall they make their way here?  Or will you meet them there?”

 

Tony looked around the table.  “Friday, it looks like we have to go to LA anyway.  Tell the ladies to stay put.  Also, make sure we can have a little happy hour cocktail party to welcome Ms. Bonneau back to the Think Tank.”

 

“Very good, sir.”

 

“Ladies and gents, let’s head out to sunny California.”  Tony got up from the table, starting to leave, when Steve cleared his throat.

 

“Tony, what do we do with our guest?”  Steve gestured toward Loki, who continued to munch on his Kettle Chips and flip through the photos in Maria’s presentation using the buttons on laser pointer.

 

Tony gave it some thought.  “He’s here to help us, right?  We need to figure out the deal with this warehouse situation.  Look, Reindeer Games seems interested.”  Everyone turned to look at Loki, who immediately stopped looking through pictures and scowled.  Unfazed, Tony continued.  “I need to meet with my favorite engineer who isn’t me.  He can’t do anything to us, thanks to the All-Daddy grounding him.  I say we bring him.  Maybe some time in nice weather will adjust his attitude.”

 

Loki raised an eyebrow.  If he didn’t know any better, he could’ve sworn that The Norns were smiling on him. Fury’s fist met the top of the conference table.  “Dammit Stark, I WILL NOT have you taking my prisoner out of this facility, let alone out of state!”

 

Loki shot daggers at the bald, one-eyed man.  Surprisingly, Capt. Rogers spoke up next.  “Do you really want to be left to deal with him here without us?  Honestly, Fury, he’s been a pain all week.  He needs something to do.”  Loki made a mental note to not be so annoying to Capt. Rogers for a while.

 

“Besides,” Tony interjected, “Thor left him in _our_ custody to help us.  How is keeping him here helpful when we might be able to use him?”

 

Fury hated to admit it, but he knew when he was beat.  He knew that if Tony and Steve agreed, everyone else would back them up.  Internally, Nick Fury sighed.  Outwardly, he wore the same irritated look he always had.  “He’s your responsibility.  If he even so much as shoplifts a pack of gum, it’s on your head.”

 

Loki, having been quiet through all of this, spoke up.  “What is shoplifting and what is gum?”

 

Steve, always the helpful one, began to answer.  Everyone shut him up and glared at Loki.

 

Loki, satisfied to have stirred the pot a bit, smirked in response.  " _This might be more fun than I thought."_


	5. Introducing A Lit Match to a Powder Keg

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good Lord! It was a challenge to make chapters manageable AND cover enough story to build a solid foundation. Without further ado, HERE IT IS!

_Holy shit!  If this is mine, what does Tony’s office look like?_   Murielle looked around at her new office.  It had a corner view of downtown LA.  All her books and décor had been unpacked and arranged neatly.  The office was decorated in soothing earth tones, punctuated with greens and blues.  Murielle was pleased that her favorite Chihuly glass sculpture was front and center on the credenza by the window, where it could catch the light of the setting sun.  She even had a bar stocked with her choice of liquor, mixers, and snacks.  _Say what you will about Tony Stark, that man knows how to take care of people who work for him_.  Murielle wasn’t sure what to expect in the way of a homecoming. She prayed that all that business with SHIELD was forgiven.  She certainly knew that it wouldn’t be forgotten.

 

Murielle’s expression told Pepper that she liked the office…and was happy to be back.  Ever since picking her up on the tarmac in Katmandu, Pepper had been quietly observing Murielle.  Pepper didn’t know the full extent of what happened, but Tony had told her that Murielle had a lot of personal issues to handle when she left Stark Industries.  The last time that Pepper had seen her, Murielle had been drinking heavily and crying.

 

 

> _Pepper heard Murielle crying, and smelled whiskey as she approached.  “Tony, I am so sorry.  I don’t know what happened.  I mean, it was me, but it wasn’t me.”  Her blue eyes were redden, the skin around them puffy from tears._
> 
> _“I know, kid.  I know.”  Tony had a protective arm around her shoulder, sitting on the curb outside of a dive bar in Chicago’s South Side.  “You’re going to be okay.  There are people who can help you.  WE can help you.”_
> 
> _This just renewed Murielle’s tears as she buried her face in Tony’s jacket, dark brown hair matted to her head with sweat and moisture from the light rain that began to fall.  Sobs racked her body as Tony rocked her back and forth.  Pepper was amazed to see Tony even remotely tender with someone, let alone an employee.  She would have been suspicious if it was anyone but Murielle; she was like a little sister to Tony._
> 
> _When she had calmed down, Murielle pulled away.  She looked at where her face had been.  “I just got snot all over your nice jacket,” she said ruefully.  This made Tony burst out laughing.  “Kid, after what just happened I can handle being a human handkerchief for a few minutes.  Just don’t make a habit of it.”_

 

Friday broke Pepper from her reverie.  “Ms. Potts, Mr. Stark is approaching Los Angeles with the team from New York.  He wants to host a cocktail party in Ms. Bonneau’s honor.”  Hearing this, Murielle’s eyes began to well up.  She certainly hadn’t expected Tony to roll out the red carpet for her.

 

“Thank you, Friday.  Would you please send a note to all the employees here in the building that Tony wanted to invite?”  Pepper came over and gave her a big hug.  “Tony has missed you so much.  We’ve all missed you.”

 

_“Oh, God.  Here it comes_.”  Murielle had hoped to put off this conversation for a while.  _I just want to settle in and get back to business.  “Can’t I just have a normal life for a few months?”_

 

Pepper pulled back to look at her.  “You don’t have to talk about anything right now.  I’m just glad that you’re back and that you’re doing well.  In fact, you look great!”  Murielle's shoulders relaxed.  She smiled, relieved that Pepper wasn’t going to pry.

 

“Thanks.  I call it the “guru diet”.  Actually, it’s less to do with diet and more to do with grueling physical activity.  Not for the faint of heart,” Murielle quipped.

 

Pepper nodded in appreciation.  “Well whatever you’ve done, I may need to try it.”

 

“I wouldn’t recommend it.  Stick with yoga and pilates, Pep.”

 

At this point, Tony entered the room.  “You’ve not even been here a day, and you’re already causing trouble.”

 

Tony gave Pepper a kiss and Murielle a big hug.  “So, my long-lost sister from another mister, how do like your new digs?”

 

“Oh, I think that you could’ve done better.  I was expecting a Jacuzzi.”  Murielle missed the sibling-like bickering and trading smartass remarks with Tony.

 

“I’ll make a note of it in the next remodel,” Tony replied with a playful smirk.  Pepper and Murielle exchanged a look.  Knowing Tony, he would do it.

 

Tony took a good look at Murielle.  He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something different about her.  She always had a cheerful disposition, with a healthy dose of wit and sarcasm.  That was still there, but now she seemed calmer and in possession of herself.  “ _Possession_ …”  Tony pushed that memory out of his mind.  For now.  He planned to address that subject after she had time to settle in to the job and find a place to crash here in LA.  For now, she was staying in Tony’s penthouse.  Come to think of it, he had a full house this evening.

 

Murielle looked at him, or rather, through him.  Tony got the unsettling feeling that she knew what he was thinking.  “Hey!  How about a drink to celebrate?”

 

“Sure thing, boss.  I heard that there’s a little get together here at the office,” Murielle said as she nudged her boss with an elbow.

 

“Great!  I’m sure that you’ll want to freshen up.  Right this way.”

* * *

 

“Look!  You’re going to stick out like a sore thumb unless you put on some nicer clothes, Loki.”  Steve Rogers had the patience of Job, but he was quickly starting to lose it with the space Viking standing in front of him.

 

“You have no room to talk, Captain.  Your usual apparel seems a bit much.  I appreciate your patriotism, but I think that showing your physique in all of its Star-Spangled Glory is a bit much.”  Clint glowered at Loki, itching for an excuse to put him in his place...or an arrow through his eye socket.  Natasha was stoic as usual, but inside she giggled at Loki’s “Fashion Police” commentary.  Bruce dutifully ignored it all, enjoying the music playing through his noise-canceling headphones.

 

Steve, decked out in a deep red button down shirt, dark washed jeans, and brand new black Doc Martens, took exception to the critique of his uniform.  “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not in uniform right now.  None of us are.”  He said this as he swept his arm across the room; everyone was in casual cocktail attire.  “Or are you purposefully being thick-headed?”  Natasha and Bruce both looked up at each other, then at Hawkeye.  Steve throwing insults was a sure sign of his frustration.  They all figured that he was the best candidate to try to get Loki to don less outlandish clothing.  None of them counted on Loki being so damn stubborn on the subject.  Especially in light of the fact that he was currently dressed like he was a peasant at a Ren-Faire.

 

During their stand-off, Loki had drawn himself to his full height, which made him a few inches taller than Steve.  Steve decided to try a different tact.

 

“Listen, this isn’t so much about blending in as it is about dressing to impress.  You like women, right?”

 

Loki scoffed at the very idea.  “And why would I be interested in the women of this realm?  I haven’t met any to tempt me.”  Of course, he was simply being contrary.  He wanted to get out of the rags in which Odin saw fit to banish him.  After a tense few minutes, Loki rolled his eyes and sighed to rival a petulant teenager.  “Fine, Midgardian.  What do you intend to have me wear?”

 

Steve’s relief was palpable.  He retreated to the room he was forced to share with Loki during their stay.  He emerged carrying a garment bag with several choices.  Tony had Friday take Loki’s measurements on the sly and ordered some clothes for the exiled god.  Holding up his options in various combinations, Loki found something that he deemed satisfactory.  Steve then handed him a duffle bag with undergarments, socks, and toiletries.

 

While Loki was getting dressed, Tony arrived with Pepper and Murielle.  Murielle was a bit stunned to see so many people already present. As Tony took her around the room making introductions, she was a bit star struck…especially when she met Steve.  When he shook her hand, Murielle could sense that he was bashful.  “ _Yeah, he’s a Boy Scout.  He’s a tall drink of water, though_.”  She didn’t mean to stare, but she did, which made Steve blush a bit.  After meeting the rest of the team, Murielle excused herself to change for the party and sauntered down the hall.  In fact, Steve was so busy watching Murielle that he completely forgot about Loki.  That is, until the God of Mischief emerged from the room.  “Captain, I cannot figure out how to tie this into anything but a noose.” 

* * *

 

Murielle’s room was the third one on the left.  When she opened the door, she couldn’t help but smile.  “ _Yeah_.  _This is definitely a Tony Stark home_.”  The room was well-appointed with a king size bed, matching nightstands with polished chrome lamps.  The linens were most likely an obscenely high thread count and the pillows were probably stuffed with down from angels’ wings.  There was also a settee and small table with two chairs.  The bathroom was all Italian marble tile.  The shower looked large enough for four people to shower comfortably (not that THAT was happening here).  There was also a large soaking tub with jets.  A tray with bath salts, oils, and soaps sat on the ledge.

 

Murielle unpacked her luggage into the dresser and closet, leaving out a couple of cocktail dresses.  One dress was a teal blue wrap dress with a V neckline and long sleeves.  The other was a dark green sleeveless dress with a cowl neck and fitted at the waist.  Both dresses were just above the knee and would flatter her figure nicely.  Murielle couldn’t decide on a dress.  Luckily, Pepper knocked on the door.  “Murielle, do you need anything?”

 

“Yes, Pepper, I do.  I need a woman’s honest opinion.  It’s been a while since I have had to dress up.”

 

Pepper laughed and entered the room.  After seeing both dresses and Murielle’s accessories, the blue dress was selected.  Seeing the result, Pepper clapped her hands with glee.  “You look gorgeous!  I know a few men that are going to be excited to see you tonight.”

 

Murielle gave herself a once over in the mirror.  She wore suede peep toes that matched her dress, silver bangles, and her mother’s diamond earrings and matching pendant.  Murielle’s eyes went to the pendant as she touched it gently.  “ _I miss you, Mom.  Wish you were here.”_  

 

She heard a whisper in reply, “ _I’m always there with you.  Keep your eyes open, sweetheart._ ”

* * *

 

Even Tony was impressed by how well he had done in picking Loki’s clothes.  “ _If this playboy billionaire genius philanthropist thing doesn’t work, I could be the next Tim Gunn_.”  Loki was fastening the gold cufflinks on the black shirt he had paired with the dark green pinstriped suit.  With the collar popped and his black hair slicked back, Tony thought that he looked like a leprechaun Dracula.  However, the look wasn’t complete with the black and dark green striped tie hanging loosely about his neck. 

 

“S’matter, Rock of Ages?  This isn’t your first time in a suit,” snarked Tony.

 

“The last time I wore a suit, Stark, I used my magic to achieve the look.  I didn’t have to do something as mundane as dressing myself.”

 

Tony snorted in response.  “Well, Little Lord Fauntleroy, now you have to dress yourself just like the rest of us slobs.  I thought that it was time for you to wear a big-boy tie.  No clip-ons here.” 

 

Tony’s remark earned him a look that would’ve set him ablaze if Loki still had his magic.  Steve turned to Loki and offered to show him how to tie a proper Windsor knot.  After a bit of fussing, Loki tied the knot on his own.  He turned the collar down and inspected himself in a nearby mirror.  He begrudgingly admitted to himself that Tony Stark knew how to dress, for a mortal.

 

“Aw, they grow up so fast,” Tony fake-cried and pretended to wipe a tear away.  Loki whirled about with a vicious insult of Tony’s parentage on the tip of his tongue, when he spotted someone new enter the room.

 

He assumed that this was Stark’s guest, since he had overheard his communications with his computerized assistant.  She had a familiar air about her, but he couldn’t place where he had previously seen her.  It was obvious that she was not entirely mortal.  The last light of day was shining through the west-facing windows of the penthouse, casting a glow on her suntanned skin and making her hair appear threaded with copper.  Her sapphire eyes swept the room and fell on him, and at once he knew that he had seen her before.  “ _Norns!  Where did I meet this one?_ ”  Before Loki realized he was staring, the woman was looking right at him.  Then, she did something that shocked him: she smiled.

 

Murielle had seen Loki as soon as she entered the spacious living room of Tony’s penthouse.  She had not been introduced, but he looked familiar so she assumed that he was a relatively new employee of Tony’s. He appeared to be brooding over something.  Still, she offered him a smile when she caught him staring at her. When she caught his eye, he just continued to stare at her with an unreadable expression and immediately looked away.   Murielle continued to steal glances at him as she visited with everyone else.  Despite his aloof demeanor, he was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. _“Too bad he seems like such an asshole_ ,” Murielle mused.

 

Tony was behind the bar, mixing drinks and talking with Bruce and Pepper.  From his perch, he could watch the rest of the room.  Natasha and Clint were talking with Steve and Murielle, but Murielle seemed a bit distracted.  Tony then followed her line of sight to see her looking at Loki.  Loki had not moved from his spot on the armchair in the corner of the room.  Tony sighed inwardly.  “Hey, Reindeer Games!  Why don’t you introduce yourself to the lady instead of sulking in the corner?”

 

Murielle cocked an eyebrow toward Tony, seeking an explanation for his sullen guest’s nickname.  Tony replied, “Oh, that’s right.  You’ve been holed up in the Himalayas for five years.  You probably don’t recognize him without the horns.  Murielle Bonneau, meet Loki of Asgard.  He’s Thor’s pain-in-the-ass younger brother and would-be King of Earth.”

 

Loki cast a withering glare at Tony, bristling at the mention of his brother.  “You do realize, Stark, that I have an identity apart from being the younger prince of Asgard, do you not?”

 

“Sure, didn’t you hear the part where I mentioned that you tried to take over the world?”

 

Murielle sat back, watching the verbal tennis match between her boss and the aloof stranger.  As she did, she suddenly remembered where she had seen him.  “Of course,” Murielle interrupted, “Now I remember.  We met briefly once.”  Both Tony and Loki ceased their _tête-à-tête_ and turned to face Murielle.  Tony was mildly surprised, while Loki smirked to keep his curiosity from showing.

 

Taking advantage of their silence, Murielle continued to explain herself.  “It was during The Convergence.  I accidentally stepped through a portal and ended up somewhere I didn’t recognize.  Thankfully, I was able to pop right back the way I came.”  Well, that last bit wasn’t entirely true.  There had been a lot of running and shouting involved…and guards armed with spears.  That was all before the Ancient One had to come bail her out.  “ _Ugh.  Please don’t say anything about that_ ,” she silently pleaded.  As she spoke a look of amused recognition spread across Loki’s features.

 

Now he knew where he had seen her!  She had pulled quite a feat, creating a portal right into the midst of the Great Hall.  Odin had just sentenced him to a lifetime of imprisonment in the dungeons.  The guards were dragging him away in chains when suddenly a short woman in blue robes appeared out of nowhere and ran right into the guards that were leading him away.  Between her bewilderment and the overreaction by the guards, Loki found the whole debacle highly amusing.  Naturally, in the middle of the palace, there were Einherjar posted everywhere.  Before long, she had a legion of them chasing her.  She was quick on her feet and had managed to duck and evade their attempts at capture…until she landed right in the middle of his mother's private garden.  They marched her back to the Great Hall just as Loki was being marched out.

 

Loki had felt her seethe at being captured as they approached each other.  As they had passed, he couldn't help but offer her some encouragement.  He winked at her and wished her luck.  No sooner had he done this than a bald woman in yellow robes appeared in the same manner as the Einherjar’s new captive.  The woman in blue robes winced with embarrassment upon seeing the newcomer.  Loki knew of the Ancient One by reputation and offered her a slight nod in greeting as he was towed away from the interesting scene that was about to unfold in the hall behind him.  Yes, he recognized her as the Ancient One's wayward pupil.  “Well, little fox.  I never thought that I would see you again.”


	6. Flirting with Disaster

Tony looked from Murielle to Loki, not believing what he was hearing.  “He has a nickname for you, and you’ve only met once?”

 

Murielle turned to Tony.  “How long did it take for you to give me a nickname, Tony?”

 

Her boss thought about it.  It had only been a couple of days before Tony Stark had started calling her “Mayhem” because of how disruptive she was to the daily routine when she started working for him.  Tony shrugged.  “You might have a point.”

 

She looked back at Loki.  “Frankly, it annoys the hell out of me, given the circumstances under which I earned it.”

 

Loki tried to look distressed at this.  His eyes, though, showed that he was anything but.  “I meant it to be a compliment!  It’s not every day that a mortal is clever enough to almost elude capture by a legion of Asgardian warriors.  I was cheering for you and was a bit disappointed that you didn’t escape.”

 

She stood, hands on her hips, “Oh yeah? I got an earful from Odin, to say nothing of the ass-chewing I got when I was taken back to Kamar-Taj!  It was only because the Ancient One was able to track me that I didn’t end up doing time in Asgardian prison.”

 

“There are worse prisons, I assure you.  Besides,” Loki said with a wolfish grin, “we could’ve been cellmates.”  At this, Murielle momentarily flushed.  Then she just rolled her eyes and walked over to the bar to get a drink.  She was determined to not flirt with alien invaders today.

 

“ _This couldn’t have worked out more perfectly, even if I had planned it myself_ ,” Loki thought.  “ _I now have a way out of here, and she is going to help me_.”  Loki’s mind kicked into high gear.  Odin may have taken his magic, but Loki’s intellect was his own.  All he had to do was lull these fools into a false sense of security.

 

Loki wandered into the kitchen on the pretext of looking for something to eat.  The island in the center was covered in trays of appetizers for the party.  It took Loki ten seconds to find a drawer of cutlery.  He removed a serrated steak knife and stashed it in the suit jacket.  He grabbed a plate and had just started to load it with appetizers when Pepper and Tony walked in to take the trays out to the living room.  Stark eyed him suspiciously but said nothing.

 

As the business day came to an end, Stark Industries employees began to make their way to the upper levels of the building.  One of the first was Robert Mitchell, who upon seeing Murielle, couldn’t take his eyes off her.  It had been a long time since he had seen Murielle dressed up, and he was openly admiring the view.

 

Some of the senior management remembered Murielle from the beginning of her career as a freshly minted college graduate.  There were a lot of big hugs and kisses on the cheek.  The mostly male senior staff look at her as they would their own daughters or nieces.  With that, the natural inclination to ask questions arose.  However, Murielle deftly avoided the questions that lacked easy answers.

 

Since this party was a “welcome home” of sorts, Tony had Friday dig up old photos of Murielle from the archives for a slideshow to run during the party.  Most of them showed her on the job, in jeans and wide assortment concert t-shirts (everything from Merle Haggard to Motley Crüe) or shop coveralls that made her look like Rosie the Riveter.  The company Halloween party and Holiday party photos were the best.

 

A photo from a Holiday party came up on the screen.  There was a roar of laughter from the crowd, as the photo showed Murielle clinging to the top of the 15-foot Christmas tree in the lobby.  Under her right arm, was a golden statue of Santa Claus.  She was evidently screaming at Tony and Robert, both of whom appeared to be a bit tipsy in the photograph as they were walking away with a ladder.  Murielle blushed as all eyes turned to her; she was laughing so hard her face hurt.

 

A voice from behind her made her jump.  “What were you doing there?”

 

She whirled around to see Loki peering down at her.  Invading her personal space, he was much more imposing than when she had first met him; the lack of Asgardian armor and leather actually made him seem more dangerous.  She took half a step back, just on instinct, but she couldn’t look away.  She imagined that this is how a mouse felt while staring down a snake right before it gets eaten.

 

She collected herself enough to answer, “It was part of a long running joke between Tony and me.”  Pointing to the photo she explained, “That hideous Santa Claus statue was a white elephant gift at my first company Christmas party here.  Tony enjoyed in hiding it around my office…year-round.  It turned into a contest to see who could hide it best.  I got caught trying to hide it in the Christmas tree at the last party I attended here.  Alcohol may or may not have played a role in my poor decision making.”

 

Loki softly chuckled at this, which made Murielle feel uncomfortably warm.  She kept having to remind herself, “ _This is Loki, not some hot co-worker or friend of Tony’s.  No good can come from THAT, so body?  Knock it off!_ ”  While she mentally chastised herself, Loki asked “Where is it now?”

 

Murielle grinned in response as she raised her voice enough for Tony to hear her.  “I’ll never tell.  It’s been hidden for the last five years because somebody, whose name is on the building, still hasn’t found it.”

 

Tony had been talking to a group nearby when he heard Murielle’s jab.  He rose to the bait.  “Is that a challenge I hear?  I think that you cheated and hid it off-site.”

 

Murielle just laughed and shook her head.  “No, I assure you, it’s still here.  I’ll even give you a hint: it’s _inside_ the building.  Not buried in a planter box, on the roof, or in any way associated with the exterior of the building.”

 

Tony made a face.  “Knowing you, it’s probably sealed up inside a wall somewhere.”

 

Murielle threw her head back and laughed.  “Now you’re giving me ideas!  No, you won’t have to take a sledgehammer to the building to find it, but you’re not getting any more hints from me.”

 

The slideshow continued as the party went on but everyone still loved the #GoldenSantaFail photo, as it was now called.  Party began to dwindle, until the only people remaining were Robert and everyone staying in the penthouse.  Tony had no problem with Robert lingering, knowing that those two had been thick as thieves all through college, and would hopefully pick up where they left off.  In fact, Murielle had recruited Robert to work for Stark Industries.  The two of them were talking over their drinks and a game of pool.  “Alright, Bonneau.  I think that you owe me some answers.”

 

Murielle, who had been drinking Jameson and ginger all night, was only slightly buzzed.  That was only because she took to making her own drinks after Tony had made her one by simply waving the ginger ale over the rocks glass and topping it off with Jameson.  She could detect the edge to Robert’s voice, softened only by the concern in his eyes.  Even though it seemed everyone else was minding their own business, Murielle felt that all ears and a few eyes were turned their way.  “I may not have many answers to give you right now, Mitchell.  I will try, though.”

 

“Can you at least tell me where you’ve been?”

 

“I needed to get my mind right.  I wandered for a while.  Canada and Alaska because it was nice and quiet, but I ended up in Asia.  There, I was able to find help with my…issues.”

 

“You mean found some mystic religion?”

 

“Not a religion,” Murielle shook her head.  “A better understanding of what I am and what I can do.”

 

Robert’s frown deepened.  “Why couldn’t you find that here?  Aren’t there enough counselors and psychiatrists around?”

 

Murielle turned on Robert, but realized his questions were meant to be humorous.  The fire in her eyes died down to embers.  With a sigh, Murielle replied “There are no shrinks or medications that could help me.  Do you remember what happened in Chicago?”

 

Robert had been in New York at the time but heard all about the incident.  The foundation collapse, a mess of twisted beams and girders in the middle of a gaping hole where a partially completed skyscraper should’ve been, the bodies (or what was left of them). “I think everyone does.  It wasn’t your fault.  It was sub-standard materials used on the substructure, followed by the generators catching on fire.”

 

Murielle shook her head, meeting his steady gaze.  “No, Mitchell.  It was my fault, and it wasn’t a structural issue.”  Robert’s brow furrowed, trying to grasp the meaning of her words.

 

As she saw him struggle to understand, Murielle picked up the cue ball.  Robert’s jaw fell open as he saw it hang in the air when she let it go, then settle gently onto the pool table.  By now, other conversations came to a halt because everyone was watching her.  Without a word or motion of her hands, the cue ball began to roll on the table as if being struck by an invisible cue stick.  Murielle was solids, so she continued to run the table and left nothing but the 8-ball.  “Far corner,” she called as the cue ball decisively struck the 8-ball to sink the shot.

 

By now, everyone had dropped their pretense of not eavesdropping and was gathered around the pool table.  A stunned silence hung over the room.  Murielle felt their eyes and the swirl of emotions that began to engulf her mind.  She had to fight to not hear their thoughts.  Even with training and practice, it was a struggle to keep it at bay when she was anxious.  Murielle closed her eyes.  “ _Breathe in, slowly breathe out.  Focus.  You don’t have to hear them._ ”  Their thoughts faded from her consciousness as she opened her eyes, becoming a dull hum of background noise.

 

Tony looked at her with concern.  “You okay, kid?  It makes me nervous when you get quiet on me.”

 

With a tired smile, Murielle look at him.  “Yeah, I’m fine now.  I was just starting to get overwhelmed.  You know,” she tapped her temple, “trying to keep this to a minimum.”

 

Tony looked at her askance.  “I thought you were better?”

 

“Better is a relative term.  I’m several orders of magnitude better than I was, but I’m far from optimal.”

 

Now, he was concerned.  “Are you sure that you were ready to leave?  Did you need more time?”

 

Murielle shook her head.  “I can’t explain it, but I knew that I needed to come home.  Trouble was on the horizon.  I needed to get out of the path of whatever it was before I got sucked in to some other bullshit that I didn’t need.”

 

The sense of foreboding had eased somewhat after she left Kamar-Taj; what Murielle didn’t tell Tony, or even her own family, was that the feeling still lingered.  It sat like a shadow among shadows, never fully taking shape but not bothering to hide itself.  It was taunting her from the edges of her awareness, this malevolence.  Anytime she turned her focus toward it, it vanished.

 

By now, everyone else was looking at her, expecting further explanation.  Some, like Robert and Dr. Banner, were more curious than the others.  Natasha and Clint didn’t look like they needed further explanation, most likely because they worked for SHIELD.  Loki didn’t look curious, but that didn’t mean he was disinterested.  Murielle saw a very slight twitch to the corners of his mouth, the rest of his face immovable.  He had the studied look of someone who was calculating probabilities and contingencies.  “ _Then again_ ,” she thought, “ _one doesn’t get the be the God of Mischief without a poker face_.”

 

Surprisingly, it was the Black Widow who broke the silence.  “I read your file at SHIELD.  It seemed a bit…light on content.  Lots of holes and unexplained occurrences.  In fact, most of the stuff in there was either hearsay or unsubstantiated.”

 

Murielle bristled slightly at this.  “I have not had the privilege of reading my own SHIELD file, so you will have to forgive my ignorance, Agent Romanov.  To which incidents are you referring?”

 

“Chicago,” Natasha replied blandly.  “An incident on your family’s ranch when senior agents approached you about it.  Rumors of trouble in San Francisco, then Seattle.  There’s a few unconfirmed events in western Canada and Alaska.  Nothing else until you emerged from hiding two weeks ago.”

 

The two women silently regarded each other.  Murielle wasn’t going to confirm or deny what Natasha said, especially about anything that happened once she left the lower 48.  SHIELD wasn’t supposed to be tailing her then, so she would let those “rumors” and “unconfirmed events” remain so.  Instead, Murielle smiled and replied, “Well, I am no stranger to the rumor mill.  If you believe everything that you hear, Pepper had me fired five years ago because I was too close to Tony.”

 

Pepper nearly choked on her drink, then burst out laughing.  “Are people _still_ saying that?”

 

“I’ll give you three guesses as to who was trotting out that old chestnut.  Bright as you are, Pep, you’ll only need one,” Murielle said with a knowing wink to Robert.  Robert just shook his head and smiled.  He knew that his longtime friend wouldn’t be cowed by some middle-aged battle axe.  Murielle would handle it in her own way.

 

While she had been speaking, Loki had moved in closer.  He knew that she could create portals and wield some magic.  Now, he knew that SHIELD considered her enough of a threat to keep tabs on her.  In Loki’s mind, her stock was rising by the minute.  Even sealed from his own powers, Loki understood the chaotic nature of her strength.  It was untamed; the incidents referenced by the Black Widow most likely a result of this raw power getting the better of the woman.  Loki knew that she couldn’t overpower him with her physical strength; he doubted that she could focus her magic under duress.  If he was going to make his escape, it was now or never.

 

Loki swiftly closed the distance between him and the woman, catching her from behind.  As he did so, he produced the steak knife, firmly wrapped his left arm around Murielle’s shoulders, and held the knife to her throat.  Everyone had been caught off guard, assuming that Loki’s strength and speed were taken along with his magic.  “Now, little fox,” Loki purred maliciously into Murielle’s ear, “you will need to make a portal for us to leave these fine people.  I promise no harm will come to you, so long as you _exactly_ as I say.”  He pressed the knife to her neck for emphasis, not enough to draw blood but enough to make Murielle gasp.

 

“Cool it, Reindeer Games.  You do know that you’ll be found, right?”

 

Loki smirked back.  “Not likely, Stark.  How do you intend to follow us?  If any of you move before we are safely away, I will have no choice but to harm this charming mortal.”

 

The sudden wash of distress and worry across Tony’s face told Loki that he had struck a blow.  He knew that Stark had a soft spot for this woman.  Loki’s eyes swept the room, falling on Hawkeye, who had an arrow trained on him.  “Oh, I would advise against that, Agent Barton.  You wouldn’t want me visiting the farm after I dispose of _her_ , now would you?”

 

Rogers shouted, “Barton, for God’s sake, put it down!”

 

Barton ground his teeth.  Not only was Loki getting away, but he had just threatened his family!  Hawkeye’s worst fears had been confirmed, but he was powerless to do anything.  Whenever he thought back to his time under Loki’s control, he wondered just how much of his mind had been invaded and explored by that space Viking motherfucker.  Now, he knew.  He had to protect Laura and the kids, but he would not have this woman’s blood on his hands.  Clint growled as he lowered his bow and replaced the arrow in his quiver.

 

Loki grinned patronizingly, “Wise choice.”  He turned his attention back to his hostage.  “Little fox, if you’d be so kind.  I prefer someplace secluded and warm.  Beachside, perhaps?”

 

“What do I look like?  A fucking travel agent?” Murielle snarled.  Few things in life brought her greater displeasure than feeling helpless.  If she could work herself up sufficiently, Murielle knew that she could unleash havoc on him, but she couldn’t guarantee everyone else’s safety.  She’d have to wait until it was just him and her.

 

There was an edge to Loki’s voice, but his tone was even as he spoke in her ear.  “Now, now.  There is no need to be rude.  I’m not inclined to quit your company so easily.  Just create the portal, and no harm will come to you or your friends.”

 

Murielle held her hands up.  “As you can see, I don’t have my sling ring.  I need it to make the portal.”

 

“Don’t be coy, little fox.  Make.  The.  Portal,” Loki growled.

 

“I’m telling you that I can’t,” she growled back.  “I need the sling ring to do it.  It’s in my room, down the hallway on our left.  Mine’s the third door on the left.”

 

Loki kept Murielle’s body between him and the Avengers, backing down the hall as he did.  He kept the knife at her throat as they made their way to her room.  “Open it,” Loki commanded once they reached the door.  Murielle did as instructed and was then shoved into the room, landing on her hands and knees by the bed.  Loki closed and locked the door, roughly hauling the woman to her feet.  “Do hurry.  My patience is wearing thin.”

 

Murielle stepped over to the dresser, where her jewelry sat on a tray.  Beside the tray was the carved box that Luke had hit with his truck.  As she fumbled in the low light, looking for her sling ring, she felt Loki’s presence bearing down on her.  “Where did _you_ get _that_?”

 

She spun around to see him looking at the box with barely masked surprise.  Slipping the sling ring on her right hand, Murielle took that moment as her opening.  She reached behind her, grabbed the box with both hands, and swung.  She connected with Loki’s temple and he fell to his knees.  Waving her hands, Murielle sent the box to a pocket dimension.  If it was something he wanted, she would be damned sure to keep it safe.  She bolted for the door and ripped it open.

 

Loki dove for Murielle’s ankles; his hand seized upon her right foot.  She struggled against his grip, letting her foot slip from her shoe and freeing her.  She stumbled out of the room, pulling off her other shoe as she did and threw it at Loki’s head.  He yelped as the heel struck him in the forehead, but he was on his feet and after her.  She held her hands in front of her as she ran, making a portal.  The circle of sparks emerged from thin air, revealing a lake surrounded by redwoods and a rocky shoreline.  She leapt through it.  Loki was hot on her heels as the portal started to close.  She didn’t wait to see if he made it through.  Murielle took off running, making another portal as she went.


	7. When One Door Closes, Open a Portal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for the kudos and comments!
> 
> I'm glad that you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it :-)

“What the hell was she thinking?”  Tony had been wearing a hole in the floor as he paced.  He sounded angry, but it was a thin veneer over his anxiety.  Pepper sat on the couch with Natasha, watching Tony with concern.  Everyone was worried what he was planning to do.  He kept having Friday replay the security footage from the hallway, hoping to find some clue as to where Murielle had vanished.  There was no calming him down.  Not until he could figure out how to retrieve Murielle.

 

Once more, they watched her throw her shoe and hit Loki.  He emerged from her room, with an angry red mark in the middle of his forehead.  Tony barked out a dry laugh.  “She’s always had good aim.”

 

They watched from both cameras, one behind her and one in front, as sparks flew and she created a portal to some unknown location.  When she jumped through it, they could see her running along the gravel and granitic sand of a lake shore.  The portal was starting to close, but Loki was quick.  He hurled himself through it as it closed.  That had been nearly two hours ago.

 

“Tony, she’s obviously a scrapper,” said Steve.  “Who else would throw a shoe at an Asgardian?  Besides, we don’t know what she did to put him on the ground in the first place.  Maybe she can do it again.”  It was true; there were no cameras in Murielle’s room so they didn’t see the events that led to the woman escaping Loki’s grasp.  Whatever it was, he was pissed.

 

Bruce sat off by himself, struggling to keep “the Other Guy” at bay.  He kept hearing things like “ _SMASH PUNY GOD_ ” and “ _SAVE NICE LADY_.”  Banner’s struggles were only visible in the slight green tint to his skin and how tightly he gripped the armrests on his chair.  He had to breathe deeply, reminding himself that he couldn’t do anything if they didn’t know where Murielle and Loki had gone.  Bruce was more concerned about what would happen when Loki came back; he didn’t want to smash up another of Tony’s homes.

 

Tony raked his hands through his hair, then locked his fingers at the back of his neck as he looked up at the ceiling.  “Does Murielle have her cell phone on her?”

 

Robert shook his head, “No, she doesn’t.  I tried calling it as soon as she vanished; I heard it ringing from inside her room.  It was in her purse.”

 

“Dammit!” Tony said through gritted teeth.  “I can’t stand waiting to find out if she’s okay.”

 

Natasha spoke up.  “There’s no guarantee that she would’ve gone where a cell phone would work.  Would she have gone somewhere familiar to her?  Somewhere that she’d have the home field advantage?  Think, Tony.  Where would Murielle have gone?”

 

Tony looked up, his eyes moist.  He was about to answer when sparks began flying by the elevator doors.  Everyone rose to their feet, bracing themselves for whatever was coming.  A portal formed which showed sand dunes, shrouded in fog.  The roar of crashing waves and howl of wind could be heard through it as sand and sea spray blew in to the penthouse behind the three figures that walked through the portal.  One of the figures was Murielle, bare footed, hair disheveled, and the beginnings of a bruise on her left cheek.  The others were Thor and Loki, equally wind-blown.

 

Tony ran up to the woman and he hugged her tightly.  “Murielle!  I ought to kill you for making us worry like that!”

 

Murielle winced a bit at Tony’s death grip.  “I missed you, too.  Right now, you’re crushing my already bruised, possibly cracked, ribs.”

 

Tony’s face darkened.  “What?  He hit you!?!”  His eyes fell on the bruised side of her face; the look in Tony’s eye was pure murder.

 

“No, Tony!  It wasn’t him,” Murielle grabbed Tony’s arm before he could advance on Loki, who had just been forcibly seated in a chair by his brother.  Thor loomed over him, making sure that he stayed seated.  Loki scowled at Tony.

 

The tension lifted in the room, but everyone waited with bated breath to her what she had to say.  Tony made his way over to the bar and poured himself four fingers of scotch.  “Alright, kid.  Start talking.”

 

Murielle ran her fingers through her hair to tame her wind-blown locks.  It didn’t really work.  She nodded toward the bar.  “First, I’m gonna need one of those.  On the rocks, please.”

* * *

 

Murielle knew the area well.  Her family had a cabin near the lake shore in the Sierras, and she could either hide in the woods or arm herself with any number of hunting rifles or shotguns in the cabin’s safe.  She could hear heavy footfalls behind her on the gravel behind her, and they were closing in.  Murielle didn’t dare turn and look; it would only slow her down.  “ _Well, scratch the cabin_ ,” she thought in frustration.  Plan B was to ditch Loki here and make her way back to Tony.

 

Holding her hands up, she formed another portal.  She heard Loki’s voice behind her shout, distorted with rage.  “You’ll have to run faster than that, mortal!  You have something of mine, and I _will_ get it from you.  One way or another!”

 

She ignored him, needing her concentration to hold the portal.  Before her, were tall dunes, sand blowing in the wind, and fog rolling in off the Pacific to shroud the full moon.  The dunes would be a hard slog, but she would fare better on beach sand than the granite rocks currently cutting her feet.  Murielle had almost made it, but tripped on a rock and fell through the portal.

 

Murielle scrambled to her feet.  Pain shot through her toe and the soles of her feet as they encountered the salt-laden sand.  She willed the portal to close faster.  It didn’t do any good.  Loki, for the second time that evening, went airborne to clear the portal.  This time, though, he collided with Murielle, landing on top of her.  He had one of her hands in his grasp, but she took her free hand and started punching him in the side.  Murielle was hoping to land a kidney shot.

 

For his part, the God of Mischief’s smirk was triumphant.  He pinned her to the ground with his weight, straddling her hips and preventing her from standing or using her legs.  He trapped her fist as she went to punch him again.  He held both of her hands over her head as he caught his breath, his green eyes burning into Murielle’s blue ones.  Even though she had been bested, she still struggled against him.  “Quit fighting,” he growled at her.  “If I wanted to hurt you, I would have done so already.”

 

Loki could see her considering her options.  She was clearly not a fool, as she quit trying to wriggle out of his grasp.  She was slightly winded herself, face flush and chest heaving as she tried to control her breathing.  Her anger at being captured had not abated; her eyes still shone with flecks of gray in the moonlight.  Looking down at her, he said with a sly grin, “I must say, I admire your spunk.  Not many mortals would have lasted that long against me.  Even without my magic, I’m not completely powerless.”

 

Keeping his hands on her wrists, he stood and lifted her to standing on her feet.  Murielle grimaced as Loki tugged her upright by her wrists.  They stood there in the middle of the dunes, sizing each other up.  The warmth of her skin contrasted with the cool, moist air around them.  Loki detected the scent of rosemary and lavender coming from her hair.  He released one of her wrists and place his free hand under her chin to tilt her face upward.  Even though she made no further effort to escape, she was defiant.  “What am I to do with you, little fox?  I certainly don’t trust that you won’t try to escape again.”

 

The cool touch of his skin against hers was unsettling in a very inappropriate way.  Loki’s gaze was even more so; she had the feeling that he was trying to absorb every bit of knowledge from her, to be used later to bend her to his will.  Murielle looked around them nervously.  In this part of the dunes, they were a good two miles from the beach or from the coastal highway.  She looked back at him.  “I could let you walk away from here.  No one would know where you had gone.”  Then she smirked, “I’ll even be sporting and give you a day’s head start before I tell anyone where I left you.”

 

Loki chuckled, “You _are_ audacious if you think that you can bargain with me.  As I told you, you have something of mine, and you will give it back to me.  You aren’t leaving my side until you do.”  The hand under her chin drifted to her neck now, stopping to rest the space between his thumb and index finger right at the hollow of her neck.  Loki could feel her pulse racing beneath his hand.  It quickened as he slowly grazed his thumb over the side of her neck to her collarbone.

 

The smirk had never left Loki’s face, but now he was grinning as he leaned closer to Murielle.  “Now pet,” he said in said in a seductively soft voice, “I know that I requested a remote beach location, but don’t you think it is a bit chilly here?  I was hoping for someplace that required less clothing.”

 

Murielle didn’t get a chance to respond because she soon heard the familiar snap and crackle of energy that accompanied someone making a portal.  Her eyes broke free of Loki’s hypnotic gaze to see four black, cloaked figures emerging from the portal behind him.   Seeing her eyes widen, Loki turned to follow her gaze.  He turned and stepped forward, putting himself between Murielle and the creatures that had emerged.

 

These beings had blue skin.  Three of them had red eyes; one had purple eyes.  Loki instantly knew what they were.  “ _Kree.  There is only one who could send them here, but that means he is not dead…_ ”  He didn’t have time to think about that now.  He squared his shoulders and raised his chin.  “State your business here, Kree filth.  Or else, go back the way you came.”

 

The one with purple eyes, stepped forward.  “Loki of Asgard.  So, it is true that you have been banished without your magic.  How unfortunate for you.  Our business is with the woman, not you.  Your time will come soon enough.”

 

Murielle peered around Loki’s right side, his left hand still firmly holding on to her wrist.  She had no idea what they were, but clearly Loki did.  She couldn’t see Loki’s face, but his tone was haughty for a sorcerer without his magic.  “You shall have to wait in line.  I have business with her myself.”

 

The Kree stepped closer.  “We are on the same errand as you, bastard son of Laufey.  She has something that we mean to take back to our master.  Something that you robbed from him centuries ago.”

 

She felt Loki stiffen at this.  “Laufey’s bastard, I may be,” he spat, “but I took nothing from that toothless creature you call ‘master!’  I bested him in combat, and he failed to take that which is mine!  It has always been mine!  Tell him _that_ when you go crawling back empty-handed, spineless worm!”

 

Loki’s hand grew cold as ice.  Murielle looked down and saw that his skin was turning blue.  The Kree’s hands began to glow.  She gasped, “They’re sorcerers?”

 

Without looking at her, “That is correct, my pet.  Now would be a good time to use whatever powers you have to fight them.  They mean to take you back to their master, and they won’t be nearly as kind to you as I.”  The hue of Loki’s hands deepened and Murielle could see frost starting to form across the back of his jacket.  He let go of her hand, and a blade of ice formed, covering him from his elbow past his fingertips.

 

Murielle took a step to the right and focused.  Energy sparked between her fingertips.  The Kree threw a blast of energy toward them, but Murielle raised her hands.  The energy between them grew to form a shield, protecting her and Loki from the attack.  When the shield dissipated, Loki charged the Kree with his ice blade.  Two of them fell as he struck one across the neck and buried the blade in another’s chest.  The ice broke off in the body, but Loki was already making another ice blade.

 

Murielle used her magic to form a sword as the other two Kree ran toward her.  She slashed at one, cutting a deep gash into his thigh.  She swung at the other and caught him across the chest.  The first one she struck grabbed her hair and punched her in the side, knocking the wind out of her.  Murielle felt her knees give way.  As she sank to her knees, she lost control.  The energy flowing through every fiber of her being, concentrated in her right hand.  She grit her teeth against the pain and thrust her hand into the face of the Kree sorcerer.  The blast engulfed him, leaving nothing but scorched sand where Murielle’s assailant once stood and burn marks on the sand and brush covering the dune behind him.  She was about to black out when there was a sudden flash of rainbow light.

 

When she woke, she was laying wrapped in a large piece of red fabric that smelled of ozone and rainstorms.  She kept her eyes shut as she heard Loki arguing with another voice that she didn’t recognize.

 

“Thor, I’m telling you she has it!  She must have found it near where I landed when I was cast out of Asgard.”

 

“Even if she does, brother, you may not be able to open it or use it.  I couldn’t lift Mjolnir until I was worthy.  You will suffer the same disappointment.”

 

Loki scoffed at this.  “Since when am I a stranger to disappointment?  No, I won’t be the one to unseal it.  She will.”

 

There was a pause, then Thor softly asked, “Do you think it is wise, brother?  She is mortal and liable to be injured by such power.  It is not an Infinity Stone, but your magic might as well be to a mortal.”

 

“Some risks are worth taking.”

 

Murielle, having heard enough, made a show of stirring.  She heard two pairs of feet walking toward her.  She opened her eyes to see a broad-shouldered blond man towering over her.  “You must be Lady Murielle,” his voice boomed.  “My brother was just telling me that you work for Tony Stark.  How is it that I have not met you before now?”

 

Murielle pushed back what she realized was Thor’s cape.  As she did so, he offered her a hand up.  She picked up the cape as she took his hand and clamored to her feet.  Shaking the sand from the cape, she handed it back to him.  “We haven’t met because I have been away these last five years.  Now, I have returned home to resume a normal life but find that it may be impossible.”

 

Loki threw his head back and laughed.  “Mortal, if you think that you can live a normal life with your abilities, you are sadly mistaken.  You have only begun to explore your powers.  However,” he smirked at her knowingly, “you won’t go far if you allow your fear to control you.”

 

Murielle felt the sting of those words.  “ _He’s closer to the mark than he knows_ ,” she thought.  She wrapped her arms around herself.  “If you don’t mind, I’m a bit cold.  Can we go back Tony’s?”

 

Thor looked at the two of them.  “I suppose that we could fly there…

 

Murielle held her hands up.  “That won’t be necessary,” she said as the portal began to take shape.


	8. More Questions Than Answers

Murielle had just finished telling everyone about her portal-hopping adventure.  Tony and Clint didn’t stop eyeballing Loki until she explained the Kree sorcerers were the ones that had beat her up.  She had been holding her highball glass to her cheek as the bruise started to blossom directly below her left eye.  Even when she was done, Clint still looked like he was planning to murder Loki in his sleep.  “ _Then again_ ,” Murielle thought, “ _that’s what happens when you threaten a man’s family_.” As she told her story, she left out the stuff pertaining to that box…and the part about Loki’s hands turning blue.  She didn't know why, but something told her that she was better off addressing those issues later.  Right now, she was fatigued.

 

She stood up from her chair, limbs feeling stiff.  “If it’s all the same to you, I think that I’m going to call it a night.”

 

Tony looked at her with concern.  “Are you sure, kid?  You don’t need Banner to check out your injuries?”

 

Bruce spoke up, “It would be no trouble, Murielle.  Just to make sure that it’s just bruising and nothing more serious.”

 

She smiled at the two of them.  “I have a feeling that even if I said ‘no’ you two would be bugging me first thing in the morning.”  Tony tried to give his best “Who, me?” look while Bruce shrugged sheepishly.  Murielle rolled her eyes as she kept smiling.  “Fine.  Lead the way, Doc.”

 

Ten minutes later, Bruce confirmed that it was only a few bruised ribs, the bruise on her face, and the cuts on her feet from the lake shore.  After getting checkout, Murielle bid everyone a good night and wandered down the hall.

 

Tony then turned to Loki with a scowl, “Listen!  You did good helping her fight off those blue aliens, but that doesn’t get you off the hook for kidnapping her in the first place!”

 

“You threatening my family isn’t something that’s going to slide, either.”  Clint was standing from his seat now, ready to throw down.

 

Thor, just now hearing this for the first time, turned to Loki.  “Care to explain, brother?”

 

Looking about the room, Loki took turns holding each person’s gaze before he spoke.  “It’s quite simple, Thor.  The longer I am here, the more I endanger this realm.  The sooner I get my powers back, the sooner I can leave.”

 

“What does that have to do with kidnapping the woman who is like a little sister to me?  Or threatening Barton’s family?”  The anger in Tony’s voice was barely restrained.

 

Loki’s eyes narrowed to slits.  “Because, as she failed to disclose to you, Murielle is in possession of an object that will help me regain my powers.  As for threatening Agent Baron’s family,” he now turned to face Hawkeye, “what else was I supposed to do with an arrow pointed at my head?  I may be mad, Agent Barton, but even without my powers I do enjoy living.”

 

Loki’s gaze was unwavering, but his features softened a bit as he quietly said, “I have never had any intention of harming your wife and children.  The proof of it is that I have known about them and their whereabouts for five years now.  It would have been so easy for me to return to Midgard and destroy you completely in retribution for my defeat in New York.  But I did not.”

 

Barton was clearly uncomfortable as he considered Loki’s words.  As much as he hated the guy, he knew that Loki was right.  He just wasn’t ready to let it go.  He glared at Loki as he said, “You’re not off the hook for that…or New York, or the mind control bullshit.”  Barton stormed off to his room, calling it a night.  Natasha followed him.

 

Soon, the other Avengers retreated to their own rooms; nothing further was going to be resolved before morning.  Thor shared a room with Loki, to keep a watchful eye on his brother. Loki had rather hoped that he might have a quiet word with Murielle on his own, but it would have to wait until morning.  It didn’t keep him from lying awake, staring at the ceiling with a mind full of questions.

* * *

Murielle's mind was too wired for sleep.  The only thing that she could think to do was take a soak in the tub.  As she disrobed, Murielle realized that her back and shoulders were stiff; she added Epsom salts and lavender oil to the hot running water.  The picture window next to the large soaking tub had a view of downtown Los Angeles, as did the floor to ceiling window in her room.

 

Murielle eased herself into the tub, and let go of the tension from the evening’s events.  Reclining against the jets in the tub, she contemplated the strange things that she had seen and heard.  Murielle had been home for less than a few weeks and already could see that life with one foot in each world would be an adjustment.  She saw her old world quite differently now.  Her vision was literally filled with sights previously unnoticed or invisible to her.  Her ears filled with the sounds of the thrumming life around her.

 

 _I should consider the Ancient One’s offer.  It would be easy for me to take a few weeks here and there to see her._   Murielle shook her head.  _No, the Ancient One deserved her undivided attention.  Working for Tony would be too much distraction_.  Murielle suddenly felt the presence of another in the room; the feeling settled in the pit of her stomach pressure about her eyes and ears.  She turned to see the Ancient One standing in the middle of her bathroom, a beatific smile upon her face.

 

Murielle knew that it was her astral form.  She greeted her mentor with a nod, “Forgive me, Ancient One.  I did not expect to see you.  I must be thinking very loudly for you to hear me.”

 

The bald woman laughed softly, “Murielle, it is hard to ignore your thoughts when they turn my way.  I sensed your turmoil.  Tell me what troubles you.”

 

Murielle grabbed her robe and drew it around her as she rose from the tub.  She began to tell the Ancient One of the events over the last few weeks.  She listened, clearly weighing Murielle words and manner against what she already knew.  When Murielle had finished, the Ancient One spoke: “You are troubled by the sorcerer.”

 

“I want to protect my family and my friends, mistress.  He knows of my abilities...and knows that I still have not tested their limits.  How could he know this with his own powers sealed?”

 

The Ancient One paused thoughtfully.  “The entire fabric of Loki’s being has been woven with magic.  Without it, he naturally craves to fill that void within himself.  As I said, you are hard to ignore. Beings that have no awareness of magic are inexplicably drawn to you.  To him, with his magic missing, he will be drawn like a moth to a flame.”

 

“What if I don’t want him to be drawn to me?”

 

An enigmatic smile graced the older woman’s lips, as her eyes were filled with laughter.  “Now that you have met him, that is not possible.  Wherever you are, he will seek you out.  He has known you only a few hours, but you have captured his attention…and he has captured yours.”

 

Murielle gave a short laugh at this.  “I suppose that it doesn’t help that he’s convinced I have something that belongs to him.”  Murielle waved her hands and the carved wooden box emerged from the pocket dimension, resting in her hands.  She held it out for the Ancient One’s inspection.

 

“Perhaps you judge Loki too harshly,” the Ancient One’s smile broadened at this.  “Neither of you know it yet, but your fates have been entwined.  You have the strength to rise to the challenge and conquer your fears.  You are being watched with even greater interest now by forces beyond this world.  Both good and evil.”

 

Murielle nodded in puzzled acceptance of the Ancient One’s words.  Before she could ask anything further, the Ancient One spoke again, “Murielle, this is the last time that we shall meet on this plane.  My time grows short.  The mantle of Sorcerer Supreme will pass to another.”

 

Murielle’s head snapped up at this, her eyes stung with tears.  “Are you sure? 

 

Nodding her head, the Ancient One’s voice was peaceful.  “I have accepted my fate, Murielle.  You know that it is already too late to change the path on which I walk.  The new Sorcerer Supreme will need your help soon.  Your eyes are opened, child.  Look for him call upon you, and be ready to answer that call.”

 

The Ancient One held out her hand.  Murielle reached out with her own; it passed through the Ancient One’s as she faded away from view.  In the silence of her room, Murielle sat on the edge of her tub and wept at the loss of her mentor.  Now she knew that she would have to seek out the new Sorcerer Supreme when she was ready to continue training.  It would probably sooner rather than later.  In any case, she would have to tell Tony everything.

 

Despite the long soak in the tub and her fatigue, Murielle did not get a good night’s sleep.  She was not able to stop her thoughts long enough to get much sleep.  What sleep she did get was restless.  Her dreams were strange.  It was of a barren planet with black soil and putrid air.  She saw Thor and Loki standing on a hilltop and they appeared to be fighting.  A woman ran down the side of the hill after them: Doctor Foster?  She had never met the astrophysicist but had read about her work.  Suddenly, she saw Loki grab Thor’s arm and appear to chop off his hand.  Murielle could see that it was an illusion, a ruse to get the Dark Elves to remove the Aether from Jane’s body.  She then saw Loki cover Jane to protect her from the blast caused by Thor striking the Aether with lightning from Mjolnir.  Both Asgardians were then surrounded by Dark Elves who were covering Malekith’s escape. 

 

Murielle continued to watch as Loki took them out with just his dagger and throwing knives.  “ _Holy shit!  I’ll have to ask him to teach me that_.”  She saw a large beast made of fire and brimstone approach Loki; Murielle saw him drive a sword through its back and left the blade protruding through its chest.  The beast grabbed Loki and drove the blade into him.  Murielle screamed, “NO! LOKI!”  As she screamed, Murielle noticed that he activated a grenade on the creature’s belt.  The creature was consumed by the grenade, but Loki lay dying in Thor’s arms. Thor and Jane left Loki’s body and ran to a cave.  Murielle sank to her knees, lowered her head, and cried.  As tears continued to stream down Murielle’s cheeks, she lifted her head to see that barren wasteland before her was replaced with an expansive garden.

 

The plants were like the plants she had seen in ornate gardens in Europe, but also had an otherworldly quality.  Somewhere Murielle could hear the burbling of a fountain.  Shew knew this place.  Only it looked different, everything was drenched in golden light.  A soft voice to her right startled Murielle, “I have waited a long time to meet you.”

 

Murielle jumped slightly as she turned to face the owner of the voice.  She came to face a tall woman with light brown hair and blue eyes.  She was in blue robes covered by a silver armor chest plate.  The woman smiled warmly at Murielle and held out her hand.  “Come.  Walk with me.”

 

Murielle hesitated.  “Who are you?”

 

The woman did not stop smiling, “I am Frigga, Queen of Asgard.”

 

Murielle’s eyes widen, as she took the woman’s hand.  “How is this possible?  I didn’t portal-hop to Asgard in my sleep, did I?”

Frigga laughed.  “My dear child, this is the astral plane.  You have learned to project your form to physical places, but this,” her sweeping hand encompassed the scene before them, “is an entire plane of existence that mirrors the physical world.  In our case, this is one of my gardens on Asgard.”

 

Murielle shifted her weight from one foot to the next, eyes cast downward.  “Yeah, I sort of invaded it the first, last, and only time I was there.”

 

Frigga’s melodious laugh greeted Murielle’s ears, causing the younger woman to look up.  “Yes, you created quite a stir.  You are to be commended for thinking on your feet.  If the guards had not caught up with you, I would have kept you hidden long enough to find your way home.  What you saw before I brought you here was a vision demonstrating why I believe that my son can find redemption and regain his powers.”

 

Murielle walked with Frigga, awestruck at how beautiful everything was.  The Queen didn’t walk, so much as float.  Forgetting herself, Murielle blurted out, “Loki got his magic from you, didn’t he?  I’m also willing to bet that’s where the mischievous streak came from, too.”

 

Frigga’s laugh was full of mirth.  “Yes, I taught him to wield magic, at first.  He then required training beyond my teachings. As for the mischief,” Frigga’s eyes danced, “that was his own, but he may have had occasional encouragement.  I understand that you have a taste for mischief, yourself.”

 

Murielle smiled, “You speak as though you have known me for some time, ma’am.”

 

The older woman smiled, “You may call me Frigga.  I have watched you since your infancy, and your mother before you, and indeed all your forbearers, for close to a thousand years now.  Your mother was powerful, yet untrained.  You, however, sought out the teachings of the Ancient One.”  Murielle could feel Frigga’s eyes upon her.

 

“I was a danger to myself and others without training.  I believed that I could return to my previous way of life once I learn enough to control it.  However, I can see that this is not so.”

 

Frigga stopped, which also caused Murielle to stop and face her.  “Murielle, you have such an extraordinary gift.  How can you hope to lead an ordinary life?  I cannot promise that it will be easy, but you and my son will find help in each other.”

 

Before Murielle could respond, Frigga took both of Murielle’s hands in hers.  “Know that yours was not a chance meeting, Murielle.  Loki will need you, if he is to regain his power and help stop the destruction that is to come otherwise.”  Frigga squeezed Murielle’s hands.  Suddenly, Murielle awoke with a start in her bed.  It was 5:00.  “ _Well, shit.  I might as well get up_ ,” she thought irritably.

* * *

 

It was an hour before sunrise yet, not that one could tell with the thick fog that blanketed the coastline and sand dunes.  A portal sparked into existence and two cloaked figures emerged.  They at once began circling the area, taking in the obvious signs of struggle.  The taller figure spoke in a gravelly voice, “The woman was here, but she was not alone.”  As he spoke, the figure waved its hands over the ground, revealing transparent silhouettes.  Four of the figures were the acolytes that he had sent to capture the woman.  The fifth figure was the woman herself, and the sixth…caused a sinister grin to spread across the craggy blue face, revealing a black, toothless maw of a mouth.  This being's red eyes glowed like the embers of a furnace.  “This is an interesting development.  Thanos will not want his prize damaged, but I cannot guarantee the same treatment for the Liesmith.”

 

Turning to his apprentice, “Go!  Inform Thanos that she grows stronger; she cannot hide any longer.”  The smaller figure bowed silently before entering a portal and vanishing.  The foreboding creature looked about at the scorched ground, saying, “Yes, she grows more powerful by the day.  We shall have to capture her soon if we are to turn her.”


	9. Loki, God of Teases and Sexual Frustration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one, but don't worry! It's totally worth it...I think. We'll find out together.

Loki heard stirring in the outer rooms.  Based on the light tread of the footfalls in the common areas, he assumed it was one of the women.  He quietly rose from bed so as not to wake his brother, who was snoring steadily on the couch. He had slept in a pair of green plaid flannel pajama pants that were in the bag Captain Rogers gave him.  The smells coming from the kitchen coaxed a growl from his stomach.  Bare-chested and barefooted, he silently made his way down the hall, following his nose.  As he padded down the hallway and into the common areas, he could feel the cold coming off the tile floor. 

Loki walked toward the kitchen, and he heard music and a voice singing.  At once, he knew it was Murielle’s.  While he didn’t recognize the song (it was something distinctly Midgardian), Loki froze in his tracks at hearing her.  She sung in a soft, pleasant alto that pulled at Loki in the most unanticipated way.  In fact, Loki had not felt anything coming close to this in a century and never with this intensity. Loki had to fight for his composure.  He stopped in the doorway, his eyes riveted to her as she moved about the kitchen.  “ _She is oblivious to her precarious position.  Completely oblivious!”_  

* * *

 

Murielle’s irritability gave way to grogginess about halfway through her shower.  “ _Must.  Have.  Coffee.  Must.  Wake.  Up,_ ” was her mantra as she went through the motions of getting ready for the day.  She had no meetings scheduled, so it was going to be her version of business casual: t-shirt, jeans, and boots.  Murielle tugged on her favorite Chris Ledoux t-shirt and wandered out into the kitchen.

There were two things that Tony stocked in industrial quantities in any of his homes: liquor and coffee.  If today was a continuation of yesterday, she’d be making her coffee Irish later.  For now, she needed to brew the sweet elixir of the gods.  At the first sip, Murielle could swear that she felt the caffeine coursing through her veins.  “ _Now, what’s for breakfast?_ ”

She raided the pantry and fridge, finding all the ingredients that she needed for a double batch of buttermilk spice muffins.  “ _It’s too quiet_ ,” Murielle thought.  “ _Let’s get some music_.”  She conjured her Bluetooth speakers and fired up one of the playlists on her phone.  Tony would no doubt mock her “shit kicker” music, but he wasn’t the one awake and cooking breakfast.  Secure in the knowledge that no one else was awake, she went from humming along to outright singing.  She was halfway through her rendition of “I Feel a Sin Comin’ On” when something in her peripheral vision caught her attention.  Grabbing a kitchen knife from the block on the counter, Murielle shifted her weight to the balls of her feet and spun around to face the doorway.  When she saw that it was Loki, she let out a small giggle.  Partly because of him startling her and partly because she was a little flustered at seeing him shirtless.  Him staring at her with her hair pulled up in a messy bun didn’t help the situation.  With the way he was staring, she felt like she was just standing there naked as the day she was born.

Murielle decided she would have to be the one to break the uncomfortable silence.  “You’re up early for a man who almost got his ass kicked yesterday.”  Loki said nothing in reply, but continue to stare at her so intently that she began to wonder if he was trying to read her mind.  If he could, Loki would have heard this: 

“ _Holy shit!  He scared the living daylights out of me.”_

“ _Oh.  My.  God.  That man looks great without his shirt!"_  

“ _Shut up, Murielle!  Just because you haven’t been with a man since…well, you don’t need to fall into bed with THIS one.”_

“ _Would you look at his arms!  And his eyes!  Seriously, though.  What’s up with his eyes?”_

_“Get a grip, woman!  Say something!  ANYTHING!”_

With all the thoughts racing through her head, all that Murielle could muster was a somewhat annoyed, “What?  What are you looking at?”

Loki, without breaking eye contact, had slowly entered the kitchen and was approaching Murielle.  Her feet were rooted to the floor.  Loki gently took the knife from her hand and set it on the counter.  He was now so close to her that Murielle could smell him; he smelled like a mix of evergreens, leather, and something that she couldn’t identify but was uniquely his.  After closing the gap between them and getting uncomfortably close, Loki’s voice was quiet but commanding: “Do you know what you were doing?”

Murielle couldn’t turn from his gaze, but she didn’t understand the meaning of his questions.  Loki could see her looking for answers of her own.  “Your singing.  Do you realize the effect that it has?”  She mutely shook her head “no.”

“There are different kinds of magic, all throughout the Nine Realms.  Even as someone with remedial training, you should know this.”  At this insult, Murielle found her voice.

“No shit, Captain Obvious.  Any other tidbits of info that you wish to share with me this morning?”

Loki ignored her retort, for the time being.  “Some spells require the user to speak certain words or move his hands a certain way.  Others still require chanting or songs, even requiring a specific tone or timber to the singer’s voice.  Your singing voice can inspire certain…urges in the listener.”

It took a few moments for it to register what Loki meant.  When it did, Murielle face became flush with embarrassment.  Her hand flew up to cover her mouth as her eyes widen with shock.  “I am so sorry!  I didn’t even know!  It’s not like I sing for an audience on a regular basis.

“I would advise against that, unless you want to be carried off to bed and ravished by whoever happens to hear you,” Loki continued in a suggestive tone, as Murielle glowered at him.  “You don’t realize how dangerously close I came to doing just that.  Without my powers, it took all of my will to preserve my last shred of decency.”

Murielle was stunned into silence at this last part.  Since she was clearly uncomfortable with this revelation, so Loki decided to live up to his title.  With a glint in his eye and a self-assured grin, he leaned in closer.  “On second thought, please continue.  Decency is rather overrated in my experience.”

As he said this, Loki brushed a loose strand of Murielle hair behind her ear.  His fingers grazed the edge of her ear as he did, sending a slight tremor through Murielle’s body.  Loki’s fingers traced the edge of her jaw, to rest under her chin she he could tilt her face toward his.  He cradled her chin in his hand, his grip on her jaw deceptively gentle.  Murielle had no doubt that it would tighten if she even tried to pull away.  The grin didn’t leave Loki’s face, but his eyes were unreadable to her.  Suddenly, he leaned down and planted a full, lingering kiss on her lips, which were slightly parted in shock.

He took advantage of her parted lips and deepened his kiss.  His free hand moved remove the tie that held her hair back so that he could grab a fistful of it.  Murielle got over her surprise as her lips started moving with his.  Her arms which hung loosely at her sides, automatically slid up his biceps and gripped his shoulders.  She couldn’t stop herself from moaning, but as soon as she did, Loki broke away from the kiss.  Murielle’s moan turned to a whimper, as he pulled away from her.  His eyes wandered over her lazily, appraising her condition: her face was a lovely shade of red, was breathing heavily, and her eyes were looking at him with a poorly disguised desire to pick up where they left off.

“I’m so sorry, darling.  We don’t have time for anything else.  Perhaps we can continue later, hmm?”

With that, she went from keening to flustered.  “Wha- what?”

Before she could say another word, Loki gave her a quick peck on the cheek, followed by a wink and a grin that simultaneously turned on and anger Murielle.  He spun on his heel and walked off to his room to get properly dressed, leaving the woman an agitated mess.  Loki chuckled to himself when he heard her let loose with a frustrated, wordless growl and a string of expletives that would have made any other being blush from embarrassment.

“That snake!” Murielle muttered to herself.  She let herself be taken in by a gorgeous face and now berated herself for it.  “ _Oh, that won’t be happening again,”_ she thought vehemently _.  “I’m not_ that _easy, Green Eyes!_ ”  She shook her head to rid herself of the tingling on her lips.  Murielle was NOT tingling all over, and was positively NOT disappointed that Loki had left her standing in the kitchen, a puddle of hormones and unfulfilled desire.  “ _Stupid gorgeous eyes!   Stupid smug face!_ ”  She made a mental note to slap the smug right off him when she had the opportunity.

A steady beeping interrupted her (failed) attempts to fantasize about visiting physical violence on Loki.  She pulled the muffins out of the oven, setting them on the island to cool.  She refilled her coffee mug and sat at the breakfast bar to read through her emails and news feeds on her tablet.  She desperately needed the distraction since everyone still seemed asleep, and Heavens above only knew when the God of Teases and Sexual Frustration would re-emerge and resume his antics.  As she read the news, she saw a few items about unexplained explosions and chaos in Seattle.  Murielle looked at the accompanying photos, instantly recognizing the location.

“Oh shit!” she exclaimed as she knocked over the bar stool on which she had been seated.  She began to pace nervously, reading the articles with fervor and abandoning her coffee on the bar.  On its face, it appeared to be nothing; there had been a gas explosion at an antiquities dealer’s in Pioneer Square of Seattle.  What the media outlets didn’t know was that this antiquities dealer wasn’t just someone who curated and sold cool, old junk.  This was an attack, pure and simple.  She searched the news for other similar stories, finding that in the two weeks there had been similar incidents at a red-brick in San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury neighborhood and an explosion in a warehouse at the Port of Los Angeles.  She also knew this attack would not be the last.  She was so absorbed her reading that she plowed right into Steve as he entered the kitchen.

Capt. Rogers nearly lost his footing, but Murielle was definitely going to hit the ground.  He grabbed the woman by the shoulders and steadied her on her feet.  “Easy there, Miss Bonneau!  Are you okay?”

Murielle looked up, and kept looking up, until she was looking directly into Capt. Roger’s eyes.  He was concerned and embarrassed by the unexpected contact.  His hands were still on her shoulders as she answered him.  “I’m sorry, Steve.  I didn’t mean to run you over.  I was just reading something on the news that had me distracted.”

The look on his face told Murielle that Steve knew there was more to it than that.  She was relieved that he let it go for the time being.  His face brightened up as he looked over her head at the countertop.  “Hey!  Did you make those?  They smell amazing!”

“Yeah, I just pulled them out of the oven, so be careful.  There’s coffee, too.”

Steve looked at the four muffin tins, then back at Murielle.  “There are some big eaters here.  You might have to make another batch.”

Murielle laughed.  “All these alien or enhanced metabolisms must be murder on the grocery bills around here.  I think that Tony and I may be the only ones that eat regular portions.  Wait, who am I kidding?  Tony can pack it away, too.”

Steve laughed as they heard a voice call out “I heard that!  Don’t be talking smack before I’ve had my coffee, Murielle.”  Tony rounded the corner.  “And turn that shit kicker music off.  It’s too early for a hoe-down. 

Murielle rolled her eyes and switched the playlist over to one called “Dinosaur Rock.”  Robert Plant wailing, “Hey, hey mama/ I like the way you move/ Gonna make you sweat/ Gonna make groove!” came from the speakers.Tony grinned, “That’s more like it.  Though, I find it mildly offensive that you consider Led Zeppelin ‘Dinosaur Rock.’”

Murielle shrugged.  “It’s all relative.  How traumatized do you think I feel when I hear Guns ‘n Roses on the classic rock stations?”

Tony clutched at his chest as if he had been stabbed.  “Damn, kid!  You really know how to hurt a guy first thing in the morning!  At least you baked, so all’s forgiven.”

Steve and Tony sat down with coffee and muffins, and Murielle joined them.  Both men agreed that Murielle would be their official baker from now on.  At length, Steve looked at Murielle and asked, “Are you sure that you’re alright, Murielle?  You looked pretty shaken up this morning.”

Tony stopped mid-bite.  “What happened?  Are you okay?  Is this about last night?”

Murielle looked from one man to the next, choosing her next words carefully.  “I’ll be fine.  I just saw some things on the news that hit a little close to home.  It may be related to what happened last night.  I’d rather wait until everyone else is awake.  I have some things that I need to talk about with all of you.”

Eventually, the other Avengers wandered in to the kitchen, the smell of coffee and baked goods luring them.  Steve was right to suggest that Murielle make another batch of muffins; Thor ate six all by himself.  The last one to grace the kitchen with his presence was Loki.  Murielle only briefly made eye contact with him, but that was enough to prove disquieting.  He looked at her with a knowing smirk that she prayed no one else noticed.

Once everyone had settled in with their food, Tony looked at Murielle.  “Alright, Murielle.  What did you have to share with us.”

She took a deep breath.  “A few things.  First, I don’t know if any of you has seen the news this morning.  There was an explosion in downtown Seattle last night. 

Natasha nodded.  “It was caused by a gas leak.”

“That’s what the news outlets say,” replied Murielle.  “The truth is, it was an attack.  I may know where they’ll strike next, but I don’t know who’s behind it.”

Now everyone was leaning forward, on tinder hooks waiting for her to continue.  “The building in Seattle belongs to an antiquities dealer, not just any dealer.  The company specializes in the unique and ‘other worldly.’  They have an exclusive client list and are known to only a few.”

“What makes you think that this was an attack?” Steve asked.

“Because two other locations owned by the same dealer have already been hit.  One in San Francisco and the other right here in Los Angeles.”

Now everyone was exchanging looks, telling Murielle that she had just hit on something.  Tony spoke up, “The LA location was at the port, wasn’t it?”

Murielle looked at her boss in surprise.  “How did you know?”

Steve answered, “SHIELD is trying to figure out what happened and what the attackers were after.  There wasn’t much in the way of clues.  What can you tell us about this dealer?”

“The company is Navit Antiquities and Appraisals.  As I said, it’s not exactly the stuff you see on _Antiques Roadshow_.  I only know about it because I was sent to procure some artifacts on behalf of the Ancient One when I was at Kamar-Taj.”

“What sort of artifacts are we talking about?” asked Bruce.

“The kind that ol’ Green Eyes would find interesting,” said Murielle with a nod toward Loki.  “Objects that are imbued with magical properties that can impart or enhance one’s abilities.  Whoever is attacking these locations is looking for something, and they have reason to believe that it can be found on the west coast of North America.”

“Are you sure that they have such a narrow focus?  How many other locations does this dealer have?”

“The dealer has 30 locations all over the planet.  Here on the west coast, there are three if you don’t count the Las Vegas one.”

Tony cocked an eyebrow toward Murielle as he spoke.  “Wait?  This real-life Diagon Alley merchant has a place in Vegas?”

“Think about it, Tony.  The most superstitious people in the world are baseball players, hockey players, and gamblers.  Where else are you going to find a higher concentration of people wanting to change their luck?”

“Can you take us to the location in Vegas?” asked Natasha.

“I can do better than that.  I can introduce you to the owner, provided that the little prick isn’t quaking in his slippers while he hides in another dimension.”

“Well, that’s settled.  It looks like we are headed to Las Vegas.”  Tony rose from his seat.  Everyone else followed suit and made to go pack when Murielle cleared her throat.

“There’s more that you probably ought to know.”  All eyes were on her when Murielle waved her hands and an intricately carved box appeared in her hands.  “I think this is what they’ve been looking for.”

The grooves of the carving had a faint glow, the pulsating green light gave Murielle the distinct impression that it had synchronized with her heart rate.  Everyone just stared at it, no one as intensely as Loki.  He reached out to touch the box, but was immediately zapped with a shock of electrical energy.  Face contorted with rage he snarled, “What have you done to it, mortal?”

Murielle’s eyes were wide with disbelief at what had just happened.  “I didn’t do anything!  I’m just holding it.”

“No, you must have enchanted it somehow to prevent anyone from opening it!” 

“I may be a novice, but I’m not a fool, Loki!  I haven’t done anything to the damn box.  When I first got it, I couldn’t open it.  I can’t even open it now.”  She demonstrated this by running her fingertips along the seams, attempting to pry it open.  “See?  It won’t open for me, either.  If I enchanted it why would I lock myself out, dumbass?”

Loki and Murielle continued to glare at each other.  Thor broke the tense silence that had fallen on the room.  “When Father banished Loki to earth and sealed his magic from him, he fixed it to an amulet.  It was cast down to Midgard with Loki, but landed in a different location.”

“Yeah, my brother hit the box with his one-ton pickup and broke the rear axle.  Luke gave it to me since I am the official purveyor of weird shit in my family.”

Thor asked, “The Kree sorcerers that attacked you last night said that you had something they wanted.  Was this it?”

Murielle nodded, “I believe so.  They something about it belong to their master.”  She turned to face Loki, who sat sullenly with his arms folded across his chest.  “Care to explain that one for the rest of the class?”

Loki smirked in response.  "I will try to use small words so everyone can understand."  Everyone gave a collective eye roll as Loki continued.  "Centuries ago, I had the misfortune of facing another sorcerer.  He wasn't Kree; he was the last of the race from which the Kree are descended.  An ancient race left over from the beginnings of the universe.  He tried to steal my powers for himself, locking me away in another dimension.  I assumed that I had killed him because I later escaped that dimension, relatively unscathed."  Thor made as if to add to Loki's story, but was silenced with a withering glare from his younger brother.  "As it turns out, I must have just weakened him enough to cause the barriers holding me to fall.  Now, he means to finish the job he started because my magic is sealed in that," Loki directed a slender finger at the box sitting in front of Murielle.

Loki was silent until Murielle raised her eyes to meet his emerald ones.  With a ghost of a smile, he said "Whether you like it or not, little fox, you are now its keeper.  See that you keep it well.  To do otherwise spells certain doom for everyone here and for all life in this realm."

The woman rolled her eyes in response and scoffed, "Sure.  No pressure there at all."


	10. Sin City, Ready or Not, Here We Come!

Under normal circumstances, a trip to Las Vegas with Tony Stark involved excess, decadence, and debauchery all in the right proportions.  Murielle had more than once gone trips to Sin City with Tony, Pepper, and others of their friends.  At some point, she would find someone to keep her company as she spent the evening drinking, dancing, gambling, and raking in chips to her heart’s content. It usually culminated in Murielle staggering back to her room sometime before sunrise, kissing her “Vegas boyfriend” as they parted ways, and pouring herself into bed, not to rise before the crack of noon.  Days were spent with Pepper and any other women in their group, usually laying out by the pool or shopping while Tony and the boys slept off a bender that would’ve made Satan himself reach for Gatorade and Ibuprofen.

This trip, however, would not be the usual drunken shenanigans.  They were going on business, with a different crowd than their usual Vegas crew.  That didn’t mean that Tony wasn’t going to have what fun could be had during their stay.  Before they had even left Tony’s, he had three of the penthouse suites and the Spanish Villa reserved at Caesars, a party bus to pick them up at the airport, and a Saturday night reservation for three VIP tables at Hakkasan.  Neither Steve nor the Asgardians had ever been to Vegas.  Hearing this elicited devious, bordering on fiendish, laughter from Murielle.  Tony knew what that laugh meant.

“Murielle, if you even think about doing what you did last time, I will have the Metro Police meet us at the airport and escort you straight to a cell downtown!”

She gave Tony her best kicked-puppy impersonation.  “Tony, I am genuinely hurt by that!  I thought we agreed that it wasn’t _my_ fault that the Fire Marshal was called.”

Her boss threw his hands up in frustration.  “I’m _still_ not allowed at Rain!  They think that I was the one that caused the tableside pyrotechnics.  Where in the hell did you get those, anyway?”

Murielle grinned back at him, “I have my sources.”

“Don't.  Whatever you're planning, just don't."

“I promise, boss.  I won’t be responsible for any unsanctioned fireworks displays indoors.”

Tony still eyed Murielle suspiciously but was willing to accept her word...for now.  He knew that she didn’t need to have pocket-sized incendiary devices hidden on her person to cause trouble.  Nor did she need to hide them on her person.  The most unsettling thing about dealing with Murielle was that she didn't cause trouble often, but when she did it more than made up for the rest of the time.  Tony just shook his head and retreated to his room to see if Pepper needed help packing.

Murielle needed to make a call.  Not a phone call, but a call of a different kind.  She excused herself from the living room, seeking the solitude of her room.  She needed a mirror, some candles, and if she remembered right, the oils on the edge of her bathtub would work.  She filled the sink in front of the bathroom mirror with scalding hot water.  She was closed up in the bathroom, candles lit but otherwise dark, letting the mirror fog up.  She then took the oil and dripped it on her fingers, chanting the words to the spell.  She smeared the mirror with runes as she continued chanting.  When she had completed the last rune, the fogged up mirror cleared to reveal something other than her reflection.

The room beyond was filled with stacks upon stacks of books and crumbling papyrus.  Various pieced of bric-a-brac filled any nook or cranny not occupied with the weighty tomes that dominated the space.  A short, squat, balding man tottered into view.  He wore spectacles on the very tip of his prominent nose.  He wore brown tweed pants and a pale blue button-up shirt.  The vest that match his pants appeared to be at least one size too small, as it did not reach past his protruding belly to the waistband of his trousers.  He was absorbed in examining the artifact in his hands, so Murielle had to speak to get his attention.

“Giles Moncrief!  Over here!”  The older man jumped at the sound of her voice, nearing dropping the object in his hands.

“Murielle Bonneau.  Have you no manners, girl?  You were nearly responsible for the destruction of the most beautiful piece of pre-Roman Celtic craftsmanship that I have ever seen.”

“I’m sorry to have startled you, Giles.  I have business to discuss.”

“Ah, well if it is business you have for me, then I have time for you.”  The man’s quick, little eyes were black as coal but flickered with excitement at the mention of business with the woman.

“First of all, my condolences over the recent events on the west coast.  I’m sure that there were utterly priceless items destroyed so carelessly.”

The little man hardly batted an eye.  “It was an unfortunate turn of events, but the truly irreplaceable items had been moved out of those locations and are currently secured off-world.  Still, so much inventory to be restored or disposed of properly.  It is quite a blow to our margins.  Now, what is this business that you have for me?”

“I believe that I may have an item for you to add to your private collection.  Would you be so kind as to clear your schedule tomorrow for a meeting?”

The little man’s eyes hardened.  “Why can you not show me this extraordinary item now?”

“Because, my dear Mr. Moncrief, I don’t wish to overexpose it.  You know, eyes and ears everywhere.  That sort of thing,” Murielle gave him her most winning smile.

The little man did not seem entirely convinced, but he was thinking about it.  “I can’t clear my whole schedule, but I am happy to give you a few hours first thing in the morning.  Be ready to meet my apprentice at 8:00 in front of the old courthouse.  Will that suffice?”

Murielle beamed back at him.  “I’m sure that it will.  You’re a reasonable fellow and have always been fair in your negotiations with me.”

“Excellent.  You know the rules and how to get here.  Until tomorrow, dear lady.”

“See you tomorrow, Giles.”

The image faded from her view.  Murielle took a towel to wipe the mirror clean, until there was no trace of the runes or the oil she had smudged on the mirror.  She certainly didn’t want anyone unexpected to pop into view using that mirror!  She turned on the overhead lights and extinguished the candles.

Murielle stepped out into the bedroom to finish packing when she saw a certain tall and lean Asgardian sprawled out on her couch.  She looked at him with mild annoyance.  “Don’t you have to go pack?”

Loki snorted derisively.  “My current wardrobe consists of two suits, another pair of what Stark called ‘jeans,’ three shirts, and my nightclothes.  I am already packed.”

“Then leave me to pack my own things for this trip.”

“I don’t think that I will.  I rather enjoy your company.  Besides,” Loki made room on the couch and patted the cushion next to him with a wolfish grin, “I promised to finish what I started earlier.”

Murielle blushed as she remembered exactly how that all went down.  One minute he was telling her that she had accidentally used her magic and her voice to seduce him.  The next he was busy making out with her.  Rather than trade barbs with the cause of her discomfort, Murielle decided to ignore him and pack.  She had laid several dresses into her garment bag when she heard him say, “Bring the green one.”

With her eyebrows raised she replied, “I beg your pardon?”

“The green dress in your closet.  I think you will look most becoming in that one.  Bring it.”

She regarded him for a few seconds, then pointedly zipped up the garment bag without removing the green dress from her closet.  “So, you’ve gone through my closet.  What else have you rifled through that is mine?”

Loki shrugged gracefully.  “The dresser, the jewelry box, the nightstand, your desk.  I must say, the contents of the top drawer in the dresser were most intriguing.”  He now rose from the couch and approached her.

Murielle was livid.  “You went through my underwear!  What the hell!?!?”

Loki was undeterred.  The look on his face was clearly the look of a man who was imagining something.  “I especially like those ones that are only made of lace.  I’m sure that you wouldn’t be wearing them for long if you wore them around me.”

“ _Just come closer.  I dare you_ ,” thought Murielle.  She plastered the biggest fake smile on her face as she said, “You know, Loki, I actually promised myself that I would do something after this morning’s brief encounter.”  Now he was less than an arm’s length away.  Murielle’s left hand stayed at her side, energy starting to slowly tingle in her fingertips.

“Oh really, pet?  I can’t wait for you to show me,” he said as his eyes drifted down to her lips.

“Neither can I,” she said through her smile as she continued to look up at him with bedroom eyes.  Loki had taken her right hand and was pulling her closer to him.  Before his lips could touch hers again, Murielle raised her hand to slap him.  Even without access to his magic, he was fast.  He must've seen the slap coming from a mile away because his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist just as the blow was about to land.

He had an iron grip, but his voice was still pure velvet. "Tsk-tsk.  Little fox, your face is like an open book, especially your eyes."  Loki paused, causing Murielle to cease her struggles and look up at him.  His brilliant green eyes shone with amusement as he said, "I knew what you were planning to do before I even left my seat."

Murielle was now pulled tight against the hard wall of his chest, her left arm behind her.  Her right hand was still in his left, and he had no intention of letting her go.  The more she pulled the tighter his grip became, to the point where she could feel tears at the corners of her eyes.  She set her jaw and looked away; Murielle was bent on not letting him know that he was hurting her.  Then she heard Loki chuckle, and her eyes snapped back to meet his.  "Such a brave front, pet.  Even when you know that you've been trapped, you would still deny your captor any satisfaction."

Loki drew his face closer to hers, and lowered his voice as if he was sharing the great secrets of the universe.  "Understand that such ferocity only entices me further.  If you will put up such a fight in this state, it makes me wonder how you would be in...other circumstances."  He said this last while pointedly letting his eyes wander to Murielle's bed.  A spark leapt into Loki's eyes, and before Murielle could react she was backed into her bed and falling backward.  She had just landed when Loki was right there on top of her, his lips locked over hers and his tongue invading her mouth.  His hands roamed over her, slowly grazing her breasts through her clothes before sliding down her sides to the back of her thighs.  Even fully dressed, his touch was setting her nerves on fire.  His hands teased the hem of her t-shirt and at the waist of her jeans; his fingers brushing against the bare skin of her stomach.  Murielle could feel the hard muscles through his shirt as he pressed against her.  Loki had situated himself between her legs and was now placing a trail of kisses along her jaw and down her neck as he continued to caress and grind against her.  The friction between them only made her more aware his arousal and her own...and how she didn't want him to stop.

He paused and looked up to see that Murielle was biting her lip in a desperate attempt to stifle the noises that she was making.  "Oh, don't do that.  I want to hear every sound you make," he said as he ran his thumb along her lower lip.  "You can't hide how much you want this, darling."

Even as he spoke, Loki continued to let his eyes and hands wander.  He traced lazy circles around her nipple, through her shirt and bra, then swiftly pinched her.  A lustful gasp passed her lips, bringing a satisfied smirk to his.  They heard voices from down the hallway; everyone was starting to gather in the living room to go.  Murielle, even still a bit dazed, had enough wherewithal to push Loki back as she sat up.  Standing on her feet, Murielle tugged her shirt down and tried to tame her hair.  Loki grabbed her about the waist, pulled her into his lap, and planted one last, brain-shattering kiss.  He set her on her feet, rose to his own, and crossed the room to leave.  "It seems that it's time to go, pet.  Let's not keep them waiting."

Murielle wasn't going to let him get the final word this time.  "So that's your MO, huh?  Make a woman all hot and bothered, then leave?"

Loki turned to face her with a mischievous grin.  "Call it foreplay, darling.  You'll be begging for me by the time I'm done."

"I'm not the begging type, Loki."

His grin grew wider as he opened the door.  "We shall see, Murielle."  He winked and strolled down the hallway.

Murielle stood there, fuming.  "How in the hell did I get stuck with the biggest tease in the universe?" she said as she cursed him under her breath.  She then turned to look at her closet.  As much as she hated to admit it, Loki was right about the green dress.  It was one of her favorites.  Murielle opened the garment bag, lifted a couple of dress out of it, and placed the green dress inside.  She then laid the other dresses on top.  " _Not that_ that _will keep the nosy bastard from finding it_ ," she thought as she zipped the bag shut.

* * *

During the brief flight from LA to Las Vegas, Murielle went over the particulars of meeting with Giles Moncrief.  "I have everything set up for tomorrow, boss.  We will meet the chief curator of Navit in the morning.  He will then call upon the owner of the company to meet with us."

"Why can't we just call the owner directly?  Doesn't he have a direct number?  A magic mirror?  An owl?" Tony asked.

"Not really, boss.  There are ways of doing things with this particular group.  They are big on working the channels.  If I pulled rank and contacted the owner directly, it would be seen as an insult to all of his go-betweens, and I would be blackballed for the next several decades, if not for life."

"And that would be a bad thing, right?" asked Tony incredulously.

Loki spoke up.  "Yes, Stark, it would.  Imagine trying to do your job, the difference between 'getting by' and 'being successful' was having a very exclusive type of material, and you've just alienated the only supplier."

As everyone sat back to consider his words, Loki continued.  "Like or not, Murielle is firmly entrenched in the same world as these beings we will meet tomorrow.  If she means to survive, she must be able to navigate that world while making as few enemies as possible.  She is not powerful enough to take on most creatures that mean to do her harm."  He turned to look at her, to see if his words had any affect.  "Not yet, anyway."

Murielle had heard what he said, and what was implied by his tone.  " _What does he mean 'not yet'?  He's up to something.  Who am I kidding?  It's Loki...he's_ always _up to something_."  She turned to look at the God of Mischief, who only continued to stare at her intently.  She had felt his eyes practically burn holes in her back when she boarded the jet.  He had chosen to sit across from her, and she had not felt his eyes leave her since they took off.  Murielle tried reading for distraction's sake, but it was futile.  She tried sleeping, but his stares and her own mind replaying his advances from that morning kept her from finding sleep.  She could only imagine how childish it would sound if she did the whole "Dad, he's staring at me!" routine.  " _Oh well, it's only a 40 minute flight,_ " she thought as she looked about the cabin.  " _Sin City, ready or not, here we come_."

They arrived in Las Vegas mid-afternoon.  In what could best be described as "Tony Stark style," a Mercedes party bus pulled up to the hangar to get its passengers.  It came fully stocked with liquor, mixers, and champagne.  Murielle sat down toward the back of the bus, trying not to laugh at the garish club lighting and the multi-colored neon stripper pole mounted to the floor at the back of the bus.  "Blessed air conditioning," she sighed contentedly as she closed her eyes and plopped down.  Even the short walk from the hangar to the bus had nearly melted her.

She felt the seat cushion sink a bit to her left.  She opened her eyes to see Loki had taken the seat next to her.  Giving her a sideways glance Loki said, "I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you."

His body language didn't have its usual swagger and his face was almost the opposite of smug, so Murielle looked at him with curiosity.  "What did you have in mind?"

"Would you allow me to escort you around the city?  You have been here before, and I trust your recommendations on how best to spend our time here."  He didn't look directly at her as he said this, his eyes fixed on some point on the floor in front of him.

Murielle regarded him cautiously, at first.  " _Is he...being bashful?  No!  Not the same guy who was putting the moves on me earlier.  What's this all about?_ "  Then she raised an eyebrow as she asked, "Are you saying that you don't trust Tony to plan a trip like this?"

"No.  No, I don't," Loki deadpanned.

She giggled at this and surprised herself when she said, "Sure, I can be your tour guide."  Loki turned to face her when she gave her response, and he had the beginnings of a genuine smile on his face.

Just then, everyone else started boarding the bus.  Thor's inquisitive gaze went from Loki to Murielle, earning a annoyed glare from the former and a shy smile from the latter.  Tony made sure that everyone had a glass of champagne before the bus was underway.  "Kids, here's to doing Vegas, Avengers-style.  Just remember: What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas!"  

Murielle laughed, "Unless we get too rowdy.  Then, it's gonna end up on the nightly news."  Everyone laughed as they raised their glasses in a toast, deciding to enjoy the evening before the real work began.

* * *

Cruising the Strip was a little anti-climactic in daylight, so Tony recommended a limo cruise once the sun went down.  Still, Steve was in awe as they pulled up to the main rotunda at Caesars Palace.  Of course, the concierge knew Tony; he was a regular guest.  Soon, an army of bell hops descended on their party to take all of their luggage and make sure they no one carried anything heavier than a tea cup Chihuahua on the elevator ride up to their rooms.  In the interest of letting the Vegas newbies have the full experience, Murielle elected to let the Asgardians take her spot in the villa.  She ended up with her own, one bedroom suite on the same floor as Clint and Natasha's suite.  Bruce had his own suite on the floor above.

Murielle had changed into a black cocktail dress with a V-neck and flared skirt.  Wearing it with a double strand of pearls and diamond studs, she was embracing the vintage "Rat Pack" look.  Natasha and Clint were in the lobby, waiting for the elevator when she came out.  Clint let out a low whistle.  "Hey, look at you!  You clean up great, Murielle!"

"Aw!  Thanks, Clint!  You guys look great, too."  

Clint was actually wearing a suit and tie.  Natasha chose a blue, one-shouldered dress.  Bruce hopped on the elevator, in his freshly pressed shirt and slacks, looking at the two women.  "Man, I feel underdressed now."

Natasha smiled at Bruce and patted him on the arm.  "Don't worry, Bruce.  It's Vegas.  Wear what you want."

"She's right, Bruce." Murielle smiled at him, trying to ease his discomfort.  "I think I saw a guy at the craps tables dressed like Cousin Eddie.  Blue polyester leisure suit, white shoes, and all."

Bruce started grinning, "Damn.  I left my synthetic fiber double knit suit at home."

Natasha, Clint, and Murielle were now laughing at the thought of Dr. Bruce Banner dressed like a _Saturday Night Fever_ extra.

Tony and Pepper invited everyone not staying in the villa up for drinks before dinner.  Tony greeted them as they got off the elevator, arms outspread, "Welcome to Las Vegas, ladies and gentlemen!"

They made their way into the villa, where Pepper was sitting on the patio by the fire pit.  Thor, Loki, and Steve were in the billiard room where Steve was teaching them the game of pool.  "I get to play the winner!" shouted Murielle as she passed by the doorway.  The three men all turned to look at her in surprise, not expecting her to be quite so dressed up.  Steve grinned, "How about we play teams instead?"

Murielle set her clutch and wrap down on a chair.  "Works for me.  Who's on my team?"

"I'll shall play on a team with Rogers.  Loki, you can play on Murielle's," volunteered Thor.

She turned to Loki.  "What do you think, Green Eyes?  'Team Golden Boy' versus 'Team Trickster'?"

The God of Mischief responded with a grin of his own.  "I like it," turning to his brother and Capt. Rogers, "Don't whip up any thunderstorms when you lose, Thor."

Steve suddenly remembered something. "And, Murielle?  No powers."

Loki rolled his eyes theatrically.  Murielle, meanwhile, kept on grinning.  "Captain Rogers, who says that I need to use powers to win?"

They were playing best out of three, and now everyone was watching as Team Trickster about to win its second round.  Thor didn't seem to mind losing; he had been watching Loki and his teammate work together to clear the table with ruthless efficiency.

"I can't prove it, but I think that she's cheating," said Steve, as he pretended to be put-off by how well the other team had done.

Murielle, who was lining up her shot, answered without looking up.  "I can assure you, I am not.  Besides, Loki's been carrying this game."

It was true.  After a bit of coaching, Loki was making shots that took most people years to perfect.  Murielle took her shot and made it, but missed her chance to sink the 8-ball.  Thor and Steve still had three stripes on the table; Steve cleared all but one.  Loki sank his shot, winning the game.  "Alright," Tony stood from his chair, "now we know who the pool hall hustlers are.  Let's go eat!"  As they all got ready to leave, Tony noticed Loki helping Murielle with her wrap and offering her his arm.  Pepper followed Tony's gaze and whispered, "What do you think of that?"

Tony didn't like it.  At all.  "I'll keep an eye on them.  He has his brother and me to answer to if he does anything stupid."  Natasha, who had the best poker face of anyone Tony had ever met, looked at him with her eyebrows raised.  Everyone else, except Thor, wore expressions similar to Natasha.  Thor was grinning ear-to-ear as he watched his brother walking side by side with the woman to the elevator.


	11. Bright Light City Gonna Set My Soul on Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT AHEAD!
> 
> Consider yourselves warned! Or, informed (depending on how you look at these things).

Tony decided to keep things low-key until they had finished their business with Navit Antiquities.  That’s why the group had dinner at a restaurant in the Forum Shops.  Steve was constantly having to catch up with the group; he would stop every five minute of walking through the casino and the shops to gawk at something.  The animated statues really caught his attention.  The Asgardians thought it was amusing that humans would think to re-create an outdoor space indoors.  “If we have time, we will have to check out The Venetian,” said Murielle.  “They re-created the city of Venice, its major landmarks, and its canals.”

Their table was waiting for the at The Palm.  Tony, being Tony, was able get a private room reserved at the last minute.  Once everyone was seated and orders were taken, Tony looked around the table to take stock of the situation.  He had Murielle seated between Steve and Loki.  On Loki’s other side was Thor.  Tony relaxed a bit, knowing that Steve could get Murielle out of a tight spot if he had to.  “So, kids?  Any suggestions on what we do tonight?”

Murielle grinned, “I say we each get a one-yard margarita and go slum it on Fremont Street.”

Clint started snickering, “Now _that_ sounds like the way to do Vegas.  I knew I liked you, Murielle.”

Tony wrinkled his nose.  “I am not going someplace where the table limits are cheap and the women are cheaper.’

“Oh c’mon!  The people watching is excellent downtown.  Don’t lie, boss!  You know that I’m right!”

Loki cocked an eyebrow in her direction.  “People watching?”

She looked at him with surprise.  “Don’t tell me that you’ve never been people watching!  It ought to be a professional sport. It’s amazing the things that people do when they don’t think anyone is watching.”

Pepper giggled.  “Do you still have that pad of people watching bingo cards?”

“Dammit, I knew that I forgot something!”

Bruce chuckled.  “Why do I have a feeling that Murielle might be setting us up for something?”

“Oh no!  _Et tu_ , Bruce?”  Murielle gasped.  “Why does everyone think that I am out to cause trouble.  Look at this face,” she held her hands up to frame her face.  “Is _this_ the face of a troublemaker?”

“Yes!” the whole table answered in unison.

Murielle made a face.  “You know?  Sometimes you have to go looking for trouble.  It’s call having fun.”

Thor laughed heartily as he elbowed Loki, “Now, where have I heard that before?”

 Loki shrugged nonchalantly, “She’s not wrong.”

“The concierge was good enough to give each of us credit at the tables here.  Let’s play with their money tonight,” Natasha suggested.

Everyone agreed that playing with OP’s (Other People’s) money sounded like a good idea.  Plus, staying on the property would decrease the likelihood of drawing unwanted attention before they had a chance to take care of business.  After they were finished with dinner, they wove their way through the crowded thoroughfare.  Murielle and Pepper periodically stopped in front of the shop windows, chattering about the latest and greatest fashions they had seen.  Natasha joined them in their girl talk.  Soon, the three of them started planning a girls-only shopping trip for Saturday morning.

When they reached the casino floor, they had already decided on their games of choice.  Tony, Pepper, and Natasha headed to the high stakes Blackjack.  Clint, Steve, and Bruce made their way to the slot machines.  Murielle made a beeline for the craps tables, Thor and Loki in tow.

Loki looked down at Murielle.  “Well, little fox.  Why this game?”

Murielle grinned back up at him.  “For a few reasons.  One, the odds pay the best out of any game here.  Two, it really is a game of chance.  Card games are fun, but the casino will send in a knock-out dealer if they decide that you’re too lucky.  And last, but not least, it’s a very social sort of game.  It doesn’t take long to make new friends at the craps table.”

“How does one play the game, Lady Murielle?” Thor asked as Murielle handed the pit boss her players club card and gave him her room number.  The pit boss slid two stacks of green and black chips in front of Murielle.  He did the same for the Asgardians.  Thor and Loki watched and listened as Murielle explained the betting and how the game was played.

When she was done giving them the run-down she said, “Look.  Just bet the same way I do until you get the hang of it.”  She put down a green and a black chip on the limit line as a new shooter came out.  Thor and Loki did the same.  The man at the other end of the table rolled a seven.  Everyone at the table cheered.  “See?  He just won everyone money.”

Thor’s face lit up.  “I think I may enjoy this game!”

Loki was busy watching the people at the table and running through the probabilities in his head.  Soon, he was placing bets of his own, losing some but mostly winning.  “I am inclined to agree with you, Thor.  I may enjoy this game, as well.”

Eventually, the shooter crapped out.  Now it was Murielle’s turn to roll the dice.  She rolled a seven, then eleven, then a seven…she didn’t get her point until she had 8 rolls.  Even then, her point was a six.  “ _Now, let’s have some fun with this_ ,” she thought.  Murielle bet heavy on the eight, and kept rolling eights.  After four consecutive rolls, she decided to get more daring.  She threw out two black chips, “Box cars, one for me and one for the crew!” she shouted.  The pit boss thanked her for her bet.

“What does that mean?” asked Loki.

“Oh, ‘boxcars’ means double sixes.  I threw out two chips so if I hit it, the crew get the winnings from one bet, and I get the rest.”

“Ah, I see.  Taking care of the help?”

“Something like that.”  Murielle picked up the dice and rolled them down to the end of the table.  One die landed on six, the second die bounced off a stack of chips on the table and spun…until it fell with the six facing up.  Raucous cheers erupted throughout the table and the crowd gathered around it.

Loki leaned over to whisper, “If I didn’t know any better, Murielle, I’d think that you did that on purpose.”

Murielle turned to face him, her nose inches away from his.  “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.  You’ll never know.”

Loki laughed softly at this, “Won’t I?”

Murielle swallowed hard, noting that her throat had gone dry.  “No, you won’t,” she said as her voice wavered slightly.

“I can read you so easily, little fox.  You are clever, but so am I.”

The pit boss, meanwhile, pushed the dice in front of Murielle.  She pulled all but her pass line bets off the table, picked up the dice, and rolled again.  This time she got her point.  She had a hot streak going, without her powers, finally crapping out 20 minutes later.

Thor and Loki each took their turns rolling the dice.  Murielle dialed back the use of her powers, only doing it to prolong the Asgardians’ streaks, but not to get higher paying bets.  Thor threw the dice a bit too hard on his first roll.  They bounced off the table and hit the beer bottle in one man’s hand, shattering it on impact.  The God of Thunder sheepishly apologized to the man, who was luckily a happy drunk and waved it off, provided that Thor agreed to take a picture with him.  The man was grinning and still holding the remnants of his broken beer bottle when Murielle snapped the photo on the man’s phone.

The rest of their group joined them at the craps table.  Tony noticed the overflowing trays of chips in front of the other three.  Cocking an eyebrow toward Murielle, he didn’t have to ask his question aloud.  He wouldn’t, within earshot of the pit boss, anyway.  It was close to midnight when Murielle decided it was time to cash in her chips.  Everyone walked to the cages and watched in awe as Murielle, Thor, and Loki started getting their cash in stacks of hundred dollar bills.

Walking away from the cages, Tony finally asked the question that had been burning him up.  “Alright, kid.  Did you hocus pocus any of that?”

“Boss, are you asking if I cheated?” Murielle gasped as she clutched her strands of pearls.

Tony wasn’t put off by her melodramatics and replied, “Yes, I am.”

She winked at him, “Only a little.”

Steve’s mouth fell open, Tony and Clint went red-faced trying to stifle their laughter.  Bruce just looked uncomfortable.  Natasha was stoic, while Pepper giggled nervously.  Thor guffawed as he slapped Murielle on the back and almost knocked her over.

Loki smirked as he said, “I knew it.”

She smirked back playfully, “Yeah?  But when did I ‘hocus pocus’ the dice?  I didn’t do it the whole time.  Even then, I didn’t directly influence the movement of the dice, except a few times.  Sometimes, it was just knowing what number I was going to roll.”

“Is there a difference?” asked Steve.

“Of course, there’s a difference.  Knowing the outcome and influencing it are two different things,” Murielle replied.

Loki had to think about her question.  Surely no one could be that lucky, but she had been subtle in using magic.  At length, he answered.  “I think that you only influenced the dice twice when you were rolling.  The rest of the time, you adjusted your bets according to the numbers that came up.”

Murielle blinked in surprise.  That was all the confirmation that Loki needed to know that he was right.  Recovering, she said “Well, I would expect you to pick up on that.”

“I told you, Murielle.” Loki chuckled, “Your eyes betray you.  Every time.”

Tony cleared his throat.  “Alright, Rock of Ages.  Time to say, ‘good night.’  Murielle, we will see you in the morning.”

“Sure thing, Tony,” Murielle said as she looked at him. “Good night, Tony.  Pep.”  Everyone began to wander up to their rooms.  Loki insisted on walking Murielle to the elevator bank she needed to get to her room, so Thor followed them.  Natasha and Clint were waiting for the elevator, when Loki grabbed Murielle’s hand.  Kissing the back of it, his green eyes fix on her as his lips hovered over the top of her knuckles, “Good night, little fox.  Sleep well.”

Murielle’s face was beet red at Loki’s courtly behavior in front of his brother and the two super agents-turned-Avengers.  She barely stammered out, “Good night, Loki.”  He straightened up, flashed her a rakish grin, and strutted off to join his brother on the trip to the villa.  Murielle was still a bit flustered when she got on the elevator with Clint and Natasha.  She didn’t have to look at either one of them to know they were staring at her and asking themselves the same question.

She sighed as she said, “I know what you two are thinking.  All I am going to say is that he’s a terrible flirt.  I know that he’s trying to charm me into letting my guard down.  Don’t worry.  I’m on to him.”

“You might be on to him, but you’re not in control,” said Natasha.

“What?  I get embarrassed easily!  Not everyone has had extensive training in spy craft.  I don’t poker face.  I never have.”

Natasha continued to look at the other woman appraisingly.  When she spoke, her voice was sympathetic.  “Just make sure that you keep your eyes open at all times.”  The elevator chimed, announcing that they had reached their floor.  Murielle bid them “good night” and closed the door to her suite.

She leaned her back against the door and looked up at the ceiling.  “God, what am I doing?  I shouldn’t be flirting with an alien war criminal, but here I am!  Boy, I really know how to pick ‘em.”  The woman shook her head, got undressed and ready for bed.  As soon as her head hit the pillow, Murielle was sound asleep.

* * *

 

Loki was staring at the ceiling, willing himself to sleep, when Thor’s voice interrupted the silence of the room.  “Lady Murielle seems to enjoy your company, brother.”

The last thing Loki wanted was to think about the woman.  He already had a difficult time controlling his physical reaction to seeing her and being so near her this evening.  He didn’t know why this mortal affected him so.  It was maddening!  Laying in the dark, the last thing he wanted was to think about her warm, soft body clad only in her nightclothes.  If they were the ones he had seen while poking through her belongings, he knew that she wasn’t wearing much…

_“Damn it all to hell!”_ Loki thought.  He could feel an erection growing as it pushed against the fabric of his pajama pants and the blankets.  It had been centuries since he had laid with a woman he cared about and years since he had a woman, period.  Loki wouldn’t go so far as to say he cared about the mortal, but he found her fascinating.  “ _Maybe, if I could just scratch the itch, she won’t be so damn distracting!_ ”  He was lost in his thoughts, and considered getting up to go to the bathroom to take care of something, when Thor spoke again.  “Brother, what troubles you?  I know that you’re not asleep.”

Sighing heavily Loki answered, “I have no desire to get involved with her, Thor.”

Loki heard Thor bolt upright from lying in bed and felt, rather than saw, his brother’s accusatory gaze.  “You cannot mean that you are simply using her?  For what purpose?”

Loki sat up from his makeshift bed on the couch.  “She has the amulet.  You saw how its box reacted to her.  It’s obvious that she imprinted on it, purposefully or not.  She is now the only one who can open it and retrieve its contents.”

Laying back down, Loki continued.  “As soon as I have my powers back, I shall leave.  The risk grows daily that I shall be discovered.  I cannot be waylaid by ‘playing house’ with a mortal!  Even if she is an interesting one.”

“Then I am sorry for you, brother,” Thor said softly.  “I am sorry that you are blinded by your fear to not recognize the chance at happiness that has been given to you.”

“My fear?” scoffed Loki.  “I am not motivated by _fear_ , Thor.”

“Your ambitions, then.”  The room remained silent, until Thor spoke again.  “Know this, Loki.  If you hurt Lady Murielle in any way, you won’t have only Tony Stark to hold you accountable for using her so poorly.”

“Oh?  Are you now going to protect her from a fate worse than death?” Loki asked mockingly.

“Aye, brother.  You will have me.  And Captain Rogers.  And Agents Barton and Romanov…and Dr. Banner’s large, green alter ego.”

The threat of getting Hulk-smashed was a low blow for Thor, but Loki knew it was no idle threat.  Resigned to accept Thor would meddle in his affairs, Loki replied “I will do what I can to keep her from harm.  I cannot help, though, if she is foolish enough to allow her feelings to sway her decisions.”

Thor replied, “No.  It is clear that Lady Murielle has a mind of her own.  You can, however, do your part to discourage her feelings.  If your intentions only pertain to regaining your powers.”

_“And therein lies the problem_ ,” Loki thought.  “ _My intentions are not limited to that, but I cannot drag her into this any further.”_   Loki rolled over so that his back was to Thor and he tried once more to sleep.

* * *

 

Once more, Murielle found herself bathed in the golden light of the astral plane.  This time, though, she saw two familiar figures.  One was Frigga.  The other was bald and clothed in yellow robes: The Ancient One.  Murielle approached the two women, to simultaneously turned to face her.

The Ancient One smiled at her former pupil.  “You find your way here so easily, Murielle.  One would think that you have followed the paths to the astral plane all your life.”

Murielle smiled at the compliment.  “I may have done it once or twice before on accident, mistress.”

The other two women laughed.  “Yes,” said Frigga, “your talents seem to show themselves at interesting times.”

Before Murielle could say anything further, Frigga said, “We have seen your progress with my son.  I am pleased to see how well you two get along.”

“Forgive my impertinence, but does that include the attempted kidnapping?” Murielle asked with a playful smirk.

Frigga replied with an understanding look.  “Yes, he behaved rather poorly in that moment.  He did, however, do the honorable thing and protect you from your would-be captors.”

The younger woman looked at her skeptically.  “Was that for my sake?  Or for his?  Or was it because he knows that I have the amulet?”

The two older women exchanged a look before Frigga said, “I understand that you do not trust him.  Do you trust yourself where he is concerned?”

“I don’t know,” Murielle answered truthfully.  “I know how I _feel_.  I know what I _think_.  Trying to reconcile the two, is difficult at best.”

The Ancient One nodded.  “You have to quiet your mind, Murielle.  Your instincts are stronger than you give them credit for.  You must be able to deal with Loki as he is, not as he was.  Close your eyes.  Reach out to him.  Feel his thoughts as if they were your own.”

Murielle did as she was instructed.  What followed was pure chaos.  Her mind (or rather her mind on the wild roller coaster known as “Loki’s Train of Thought”) careened from one extreme to the next at a break-neck pace.  She fought to focus on some pattern, some order anywhere.  If it was possible to have motion sickness while standing still, Murielle was sure this would cause it.

Her mind finally settled upon something: he was thinking of her.  Even when she followed his thoughts of her, they bounced around with no discernible pattern.  On one hand, he was disgusted that he should be so taken with a mortal.  On the other, he wanted to know more about her.  He was charmed by her innate talent and her inclination toward being feisty.  Then his thoughts turned lustful, wanting to march to her room, break down the door, and have her in every way possible until they were a panting, sweating, satiated mess.  Then, she felt a cold fear grip him.  She felt him tamp down both his lust and his more tender feelings toward her.  He was not going to be governed by such sentiments.  He could not allow it.  Before Murielle broke contact with his mind, she heard a name that, even unfamiliar, struck fear into her heart: Thanos.

When Murielle opened her eyes, both Frigga and the Ancient One were watching her.   She didn’t have to ask; they knew what she saw.

“Murielle,” the Ancient One said gently.  “At any time, did Loki’s thoughts turn to the amulet or his powers?”

Murielle shook her head.  “I can see why he is the God of Mischief and Chaos.  I felt like I was shooting around inside a pinball machine.  What thoughts I could make sense of, did not pertain to his powers or how to recover them.”

“My son is very fond of you.” Frigga said tenderly.   “He will not admit it to himself because he does not dare to hope.  In the past, hope has only led to heartbreak for him.  Give him a reason to have hope again.”

Murielle went to embrace both women when she heard a loud beeping.  No longer was she on the astral plane.  The beeping was her alarm clock.  She slapped the snooze button, and lay in the dark with her thoughts.  Murielle needed to have a clear mind for today.  Giles Moncrief was all business and would most likely not be pleased that Murielle really didn’t have anything to sell him.  However, she hoped that the little man had a large enough sense of self-preservation to know that he would have no one with whom to do business if he didn’t get his employer involved.  Murielle’s feet hit the floor, and she went about her morning routine, her thoughts still drifting to emerald eyes and the rakishly handsome face they occupied.

* * *

 

For the first time in years, Loki had not had night terrors.  However, his sleep was by no means peaceful.  Instead, he found himself dreaming of the woman.  He was standing in a hallway, lined with doors.  Somehow, he knew it was the hallway outside of her rooms in the hotel.  He didn’t know how he knew which door was hers, but he walked up to the door and tried the knob.  Finding it locked, he threw his shoulder against it and broke the door free of the doorjamb.  She was evidently startled by this but had only enough time to throw on a robe and get out of bed before he had cleared the distance between them.

She didn’t resist when he scooped her up into his arms, capturing her lips with his.  Loki’s hand slid under the robe, pushing it off her shoulders.  Her nimble fingers were frantically unbuttoning his shirt and undoing his pants.  Her hands were warm, and the pressure against the back of his shoulders was insistent.  She was pulling him toward her bed as he tore her nightclothes from her body.  His mouth assaulted her neck and was making its way toward her breasts.  He looked down at her; Murielle's sapphire eyes darkened with pure lust and urging him to bury himself in her.  He was just about to thrust deep inside her, when he was awoken by the sound of running water.

Loki sat up and realized that he had been dreaming.  He looked to the empty bed, confirming that Thor woke him by turning on the shower.  Looking down at his lap, Loki laughed aloud to himself.  “Of course, I would wake up entirely unsatisfied.”  His cock had only been stirring the night before.  Now, it was hard, throbbing, and demanding attention.  The attention Loki wanted was elsewhere in the hotel.  Thor was using the only room that guaranteed any privacy, so Loki had to wait for the feeling to subside.  He was at least able to walk when Thor emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, a cloud of steam following him through the open door.

Thor saw that Loki was awake and greeted him with his big, stupid grin.  “Ah good morning, brother!”

Loki thought there was some chemical imbalance in Thor’s brain for him to be so happy first thing in the morning.  Loki merely grunted in reply as he headed for the bathroom, which didn’t offend Thor.  Loki had never been a morning person.

Finally, having the bathroom to himself, Loki ran the shower.  He needed a cold shower to wake up and shake himself free of the fantasies that still played out in his mind.  Replaying that dream made his cock spring back to life.  Stepping into the shower, Loki knew there was only one way that he was going to have any peace from it.  He let the water run over him as he closed his eyes and let his mind wander.  Picking up where the dream left off, he was able use his imagination to fill in the blanks.

He could feel her slick, wet folds as he slid inside her.  How tight she was as he thrust into her.  Loki’s hand began to move faster, mimicking the pace of how he wished to fuck the woman.  He could feel her throbbing around him, tightening and pulling him over the edge with her as she climaxed.  He imagined her hot breath against his neck as she moaned his name with abandon.  Loki’s breath now came in ragged gasps for air.  With a guttural moan, he came at last.  His orgasm seemed to go on forever.  Finally, there was relief.  It was incomplete, but it was the best he could do for now.

The cold water was bracing and help Loki clear his thoughts.  He was no stranger to dealers in magical objects, but he had not dealt with this specific one.  The not knowing made him uneasy.  He was not given to blind trust, but here he was, trusting this woman to lead them on this little adventure.  Loki finished his shower and went to get dressed.  His questions would have to wait until they met the woman in a few minutes.


	12. Who Is Your Daddy & What Does He Do?

The team met in the villa for breakfast, which Tony had catered in.  They didn’t have time to wait in line at the Bacchanal Buffet.  They had to meet Moncrief’s apprentice in front of the old courthouse downtown at 8:00.  Murielle arrived just as the staff was done setting up everything.  So far, she was the only person to arrive from the suites.  Tony was nursing a Bloody Mary.  Pepper was drinking a mimosa, and Steve was drinking coffee.  There was no sign of the Asgardians yet. 

“Good morning, Murielle.  Need a little hair of the dog?” said Tony as he raised his glass in greeting.

“You know I’m not a Bloody Mary fan, Tony.  Now if you have stuff for mimosas, that’s a different story.”

Pepper chirped, “Girl, I’ve got you covered!”  She motioned for Murielle to follow her to the bar.  Seeing that there was more than orange juice, Murielle made a peach bellini instead.  She sat down with the others and waited for the rest of the team.  Thor and Loki emerged from their room.  Thor, as always, looked like he was just happy to be alive.  Loki looked a bit grumpy.

Murielle greeted them.  “I see that I’m not the only one who’d rather be a night owl.  Don’t tell me that you’re hung over, Green Eyes?”

Loki shook his head and offered her a faint smile in greeting.  “Not hung over.  Fitful sleep.”  Despite his fatigue, Loki still moved with predatory grace.  Murielle admired as he walked over to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup.

“Well, let’s not let the food get cold.  Dig in, everyone.”  Tony went and grabbed a plate and started heaping bacon, sausage, and waffles on it.  Pepper gave him a look.

“What?  Here,” Tony grabbed a few strawberries and set them on the waffles, “Happy?”

Pepper smiled.  Her smile evaporated when Tony heaped whipped cream on top of the strawberries and waffles.

Murielle and Steve just shook their heads and smiled; neither one of them were strangers to the domestic tug-o-war that was Pepper and Tony’s relationship.  Pepper found herself having to “mother” Tony almost as much as she was “wife” and “personal assistant.”  Tony, meanwhile, did everything he could to keep Pepper on her toes and make life interesting.  The dynamic seem to work for them.

“Tony, I think the boss lady is trying to keep your arteries from clogging,” said Murielle.

Pepper beamed at Murielle.  “Boss lady?  I like it.  Can I get it put on a coffee mug?”

“You mean like the coffee mug she gave me for Christmas five years ago?” asked Tony.  Pepper went pale at the mention of the infamous “That’s 'Bad Ass Nerd' to You, Muthaf*cker!” coffee mug that Tony still proudly drank from every chance he got.

Steve looked at Murielle in shock, “That was a gift from you?”

The overgrown Boy Scout’s consternation made Murielle laugh.  “Yeah, that was me.”

“Are you guys talking about Tony’s favorite coffee mug?” Bruce asked.  "I think that I need to get one, too."  He had just entered the villa with Natasha and Clint, as Tony had mention the foul-mouthed drinkware.

Everyone was seated with breakfast and beverages when Murielle began to go over the rules of engagement.

“We are meeting Moncrief’s apprentice downtown, right in front of the building that houses the Mob Museum.  From there, he will create a portal to Navit’s shop here in Vegas.”

“Whoa!” interrupted Clint.  “We have to take a portal there?”

“Yes, Clint.  You never just pull up to a location and walk through the door.  While there may be a physical address, you won’t actually see the shop if you don’t use a portal to enter that dimension.”

“We are embarking on inter-dimensional travel?  Shouldn’t you have mentioned this earlier?” said Tony.

Murielle shrugged, “It makes no difference.  It’s just the way it is.  Quibbling over it won’t change the fact that it has to be done.”

“What if I need to call my suit?”

“I already have you covered, Tony,” Pepper said as she walked into the next room and grabbed a case.  It housed one of Tony’s older suits, that could collapse to travel size.

Murielle added, “I know it’s not the latest and greatest, but Friday gave it a once-over and updated as much as she could before we left.  Even then, it might just be a set of armor to protect you.”

Tony looked at her apprehensively, “What do you mean, kid?”

“The shop is guarded by protection spells and artifacts that are meant to interfere with most technology and conventional weapons.  So, Natasha? I’m afraid pistols won’t do you any good.  Once we are in, don’t touch anything.  I mean it!  Not a thing!  We will be meeting with Giles Moncrief.  He’s peculiar, but he’s all business.  He will want to know what I have to sell him.  I was only able to get a meeting by telling him that I had something of interest.”

“Are you sure that it’s wise to bait-and-switch a dealer, little fox?”

Everyone agreed with Loki.  “He’s right, Murielle,” said Bruce.  “What happens if this all goes south?”

“It won’t.  Moncrief will be irritated, but he won’t kill us.  It’s bad for business.  He will also want information about who attacked his other locations.  I plan to tell him about the Kree that attacked Loki and me.  If nothing else he will get his boss, the owner, involved.”

Murielle continued, “Now, one more thing.  Do not, I repeat: DO NOT go out any of the exterior doors!  If you try to leave by any means other than a portal, I cannot guarantee your safety.  Are we clear?”  Everyone nodded with understanding.  “Good, shall we get going?”

* * *

 Rather than taking a conspicuous party bus to their destination, Tony had rented a van large enough to seat everyone.  Murielle sat in the middle row of seats between Thor and Loki.  Murielle couldn’t help but giggle as she observed Thor, Loki, and Steve (all rather large men) trying to get comfortable in the Econoline van.  She was seated between the Asgardians.  Seated right next to (practically on top of) Loki, Murielle was reminded that he really was about a foot taller than her.  His impossibly long legs were sprawled out in front of him, while her feet could barely touch the floorboards, thanks to the high bench seat in the van.

Tony parked on the street a block away from their destination.  The all piled out of the van and started walking.  As they walked, Murielle saw a man of medium height and slight build come around the corner of the building.  He appeared youthful, but in her experience, that didn’t mean he was young.  He had sandy blond hair, pale skin, and eyes that were a murky grey.  When his eyes met hers, there was a flicker of recognition and panic.  The panicked look faded, though, as she got closer.  Even though he composed himself, the youthful looking man still had a nervous energy about him.

He smiled at the group.  “You must be Ms. Bonneau.  I am Lucien Varner, Mr. Moncrief’s apprentice.  You’re a bit early for your appointment, but I’m sure that he won’t mind.”

Murielle greeted the dealer’s apprentice.  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lucien.  Please, lead the way.”  She looked at Loki when the younger man turned to lead them toward the parking garage across the street.  Loki said nothing, but he was studying young Varner.  Apparently, he saw the same thing that Murielle did.  “ _This man is nervous about something_ ,” thought Murielle.

They weren’t necessarily headed to the parking garage.  Rather, they were going to the alley behind it, so that Varner could create the portal away from prying eyes.  Loki had not taken his eyes of the apprentice, but now addressed him directly.  “I’m sorry, young man.  I believe that I have made your acquaintance before, but I cannot place where.”

The panic-stricken look returned to Lucien Varner’s eyes when Loki addressed him. “I-I am not sure, sir.  I d-do not believe that we have met,” the young man stuttered.

“No, I’m quite certain of it.  I never forget a face.  Come now, you must know who I am.”

Tony rolled his eyes and was about to make some wise crack about Loki’s ego, but Murielle caught his eye and motioned for him to be quiet.  She knew that something was wrong now.  She could smell the fear roiling off this guy!  Loki now regarded the younger man with a slight tilt to his head and a predatory grin, “Now I remember.  I met you on Nornheim.  You tried to drive a spear through my chest.”

Varner now turned on Loki and lunged at him, holding a dagger in his hand.  Loki dodged the younger man’s frenzied attack, but it was Murielle that took him down with a blast of energy.  She summoned an enchanted piece of rope that snaked around his ankles and wrists.  Once Varner’s hands were bound, Loki hauled him to his feet.

The younger man spit in Loki’s face, “You will not survive this, Lie-smith!  My real master knows you are here.  He comes for what is his.”  Varner turned toward Murielle with a wild-eyed look, “He comes for you, too, little witch.  You cannot hide from him, and he comes to make you a handmaiden of Death once more.”

Loki grabbed Varner by his hair, jerking his head back.  “You may tell your master there is no prize for him here, unless he seeks a swift end to his time on this plane of existence,” Loki narrowed his eyes as he snarled, “His time will be even shorter if he so much as threatens a hair on her head.”

Murielle’s mind was racing.  “ _What does he mean his real master?  Is it the same being that sent the Kree?  What does he mean ‘once more’_?”  Her thoughts were mixed with the thoughts of everyone else around her, threatening to pull her into a vortex.  Suddenly, she felt a cool hand on her shoulder and a voice speaking.  “Murielle?  Do you know the way?”

She snapped out of her own mind to see that Loki was asking her a question.  Seeing that she was coming out of a daze, Loki repeated himself.  “Do you know the way to Navit’s shop?”

Murielle nodded.  “I have been there once before.  I can create the portal, but I do not know how to lower the wards.  Moncrief will have to do that.”

“Very well,” Loki said as he dragged Varner behind him.  “The sooner we can get away from this place, the sooner we will be safe.”

She slipped the sling ring on her finger and focused.  She envisioned the dimension that housed the shop, the world within a world.  As she did, the portal began to form.  The interior of the shop appeared, Giles Moncrief standing in the middle of a dusty Persian rug.  “It’s about time, I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten.”

Everyone stepped through the portal, clearly surprising Moncrief at the number of visitors.  Murielle entered alongside Loki, who was carrying Varner over his shoulder.  Moncrief’s eyes went wide with horror at the sight of the dark prince of Asgard and his apprentice bound hand and foot.

The curator whirled about and jabbed a short, bony finger at Murielle as he hissed, “You said nothing about _him_ being involved!  What is the meaning of this?”

“Perhaps you can tell me, Mr. Moncrief, what sort of ambush was I walking into?”  Murielle’s voice was level, but the rage was boiling to the surface as she spoke.  Loki could feel the hairs on his arm begin to stand on end from the energy that she had whipped up in the room.

“ _You_ accuse _me_ , impudent girl, of ambushing _you_?  You, who brings a sorcerer and war criminal to my establishment?  I ought to have the Sorcerer Supreme strip of your powers for such foolishness!”

Now her voice was a full-throated roar.  “Answer me, little man! Before you find yourself gagged with your own entrails _and_ bound like your apprentice!  He attacked us!  He said that his master…his _real_ master, was coming for us!”  She pointed at Loki, “For him!”  She pointed at herself, “For me!”

Moncrief’s beady little eyes flitted from one face to the next before returning to Murielle’s.  The look of shocked disappointment permeated the portly man as he slumped into a nearby chair.  He waved a hand, motioning for Murielle to sit.  She looked to Loki, who simply nodded, before she sat down.

“I should have known my apprentice was dabbling in darker aspects of the Mystic Arts,” the curator croaked.  “A good master would have seen the signs and been more proactive in stopping him.  I did not think that academic interest would turn to religious fervor,” he glared at Varner as he said this last part.

“Speak plainly, Moncrief.  We haven’t much time,” said Loki.

Moncrief waved a dismissive hand and looked up at him.  “You may be a prince on Asgard, boy, but here you are just Loki, the powerless sorcerer.  Mind your manners.  You are safe in this place.  My wards and enchantments have kept this dimension secure for almost two millennia.”

Loki and Thor were stunned at the little old man’s words, and Moncrief saw it.  “Yes, I know what happened to you.  Your father took away that which is most precious to you.  Now, you are trying to earn it back.”

“I also know, young lady, that you possess that which holds his power.  May I see it?”

“I will show you, Mr. Moncrief, if you answer my questions.  Did you know?”

Moncrief heaved a sigh.  “I did not know he meant to attack you.  I knew that they were looking for him.”

Loki stepped closer, “Are they followers of Vardun?”

Moncrief fixed his gaze upon Loki.  “He has allied himself with the Mad Titan and seeks to finish what he started the last time he saw you.  They both do.”  The curator turned to Murielle, “What he wants from you, I do not know.”

“Varner said something about his master making her a handmaiden of Death once more,” said Thor. 

At this, Moncrief’s face lost its ruddy color.  He looked at Murielle with doleful eyes.  “Child, if this is true, then you bear a blacker mark then even he does,” he pointed at Loki as he spoke.  “There is only one way to know for certain.  Come with me.”

They all followed Moncrief as he wove through the maze built of stacks of books, papers, and oddities accumulated over two millennia.  He stopped when he reached his desk, upon which sat the object he had been carrying around when Murielle called him.  He beckoned her closer. 

“This, my girl, is a dividing orb.  Rather than telling you where to find magic, it tells you what manner of magic you possess and its strength.  It can also reveal curses and enchantments that have been placed upon the individual who holds it.”  With that explanation, Moncrief set it down on his desk and bid her to pick it up.

“So, it’s like the Sorting Hat?” quipped Tony.  “We all know that Rock of Ages would be a Slytherin.  What would Murielle be?  A Hufflepuff?  A Ravenclaw?”

Moncrief just stared at Tony blankly.  Murielle shot him a look, then turned to Moncrief, apologetically, “Please don’t mind him.  He’s been dropped out of one too many windows.”  Loki made a strange sound at this.  That strange sound was him snorting, trying to keep from laughing.

“Yuck it up, Reindeer Games,” Tony huffed.  “Murielle, that was a cheap shot.”

Murielle ignored Tony, looking instead at the object before her.  There was some sort of crystal in the middle of a spherical golden cage that made the orb.  When she picked it up and held it, the crystal began to spin on its own.  As it did, Moncrief watched.

“The crystal spinning on its own indicates that you have a strong baseline for your magic.  Even when you aren’t actively using it, it’s there at your fingertips.  For most beings, the crystal stays suspended or spins very slowly.  Now, you must focus your energy into the orb.  Be sure to clear your mind and just focus.  If you are distracted or thinking of anything else, it will throw off the readings.”

Murielle closed her eyes to concentrate.  She could feel the orb vibrating in her hands with the oscillating motion of the spinning crystal.  It had picked up speed and was now humming away in the orb.  She slowly opened her eyes to see the orb was now engulfed in a silvery blue light.  The crystal inside was a blinding white and silver.  Moncrief was staring in wonder at her and the orb.

“Now, I need you to think back to the last time that you used your full strength.  Concentrate on the way the magic moved through your being.”

Murielle looked at him skeptically.  Moncrief, sensing her apprehension, peered over the top of his glasses at her.  “You must do this, girl.  I cannot do it for you.”

She nodded her head, and shut her eyes again.  Now she felt flames and tearing of her flesh and muscles.  The orb erupted in blue flames, and it felt like Murielle’s hands were being seared by the orb.  The flames flared up and scorched the ceiling.  With a cry of pain, she dropped the orb.  Moncrief lunged across his desk to catch the orb before it fell.  He jostled it from one hand to the next, it was still hot.

Once the orb was back on its stand, Moncrief, along with everyone else, looked at Murielle in stunned silence.  Tony was the first one to speak, “So, in which Hogwart’s house has our little flower been placed?”

Moncrief continued to look at the woman before he said, “The Ancient One told me about your mother and her people.  How she suspected that your mother was not entirely human but that the alien traits of your mother’s line had been so diluted over the centuries that these features were latent, at best.  It is evident that whatever curse was placed upon you has been weakened, but not lifted.”

Murielle silently contemplated his words, when Moncrief spoke again.  “This strength cannot be attributed to your mother.  What do you know of your father?”

Murielle’s brow furrowed.  “My father was a mortal as they come, Mr. Moncrief.  He didn’t know what to make of my mother’s sixth sense or her ability to sense her children from afar.  In fact, it scared him.”

Moncrief shook his head impatiently.  “Not the man who raised you, Ms. Bonneau.  I mean your actual father.”

“Uh, Giles?  May I call you Giles?” Tony interrupted.  “I’m pretty sure that Baby-Daddy and Mamma’s Hubby were one in the same.  Murielle looks too much like her siblings for her to have a different father.”

“Mr. Stark, I assure you that this woman is not entirely human and that her father was _not_ of this world.”  The curator removed his glasses and wiped them on them his shirttail before placing them back on his face.  “If the orb is correct, your father was not even of this realm.  He was either Asgardian or from The Beyond.”

Thor looked at Murielle.  “How could she be Asgardian?  Until recently, we have not been on this realm for a thousand years.”

“If her father was from The Beyond, that means that he is an Ancient.  The Celestials were long extinct before even the All-Father was born.  Besides, a coupling between a mortal and a Celestial would be physically impossible,” said Loki.

“Reindeer Games, you know too much about ET nookie,” snarked Tony.

Loki smirked, “Jealous, Stark?”

Murielle winced and covered her ears, “I don’t need to hear this conversation.  At all.”

Loki continued to look at Murielle, searching for some clue in her appearance or manner that would tell him who her father was.  “ _Thor, you dolt!  Just because the All-Father had commanded that no one was to travel from the Realm Eternal to Midgard does not mean it didn’t happen…”_   A disturbing thought entered Loki head.  It nauseated him, but he had to ask the question, “There is no chance that she is part Jotun, is there?”

Clint looked from Loki to Moncrief, “Yo-what?”

Moncrief stared down the God of Mischief.  Loki’s face remained unreadable; Thor looked at him with shock.  “ _Of course, he would.  He’s the only one who knows why I ask the question._ ”  At length, the curator replied, “No.  She would not have created fire with her magic as her first instinct.  The orb would have frozen instead.”

Loki couldn’t tell who was more relieved: him or Thor.  Of course, there were no little Jotun princes or princesses running around Midgard.  Loki had always been very careful in that respect.  The Norse myths about him fathering a wolf, an eight-legged horse, and a serpent?  Pshaw!  That was a product of Thor and the Warriors Three getting drunk on Midgard and telling false tales to unsuspecting rubes in retaliation for one of the few times that Loki told the truth…

Loki’s musings were interrupted by the distant rumblings of an explosion.  Everyone looked at each other, then to Moncrief.  A dry, strained chuckle came from the floor behind Loki.  Lucien Varner looked up at the God of Mischief with a manic look in his eye.  “They are here.  And you have nowhere to run.  You are all packaged so nicely.  Thanos will be pleased with my master’s gift.”

Murielle looked at the curator, a mild wave of panic passing over her face.  “Moncrief, you said that we were safe here.  What happens if the physical location is destroyed?”

“We are still safe as long as the wards in the physical world hold.”  No sooner had Moncrief said this, then a spark of magic shot out from the wall behind him.

The woman looked back at him.  “As long as the wards out there hold, right?  We had better go.  Now!”


	13. Exposing a Raw Nerve

Two more sparks of magic shot out from the walls surrounding them as more wards were broken.  The normally unflappable Giles Moncrief was now beginning to show signs of panic, which for him meant that his jaw tensed and the nerve below his right eye started to twitch.  Otherwise, he looked the same as he did at any other time.  Loki grabbed Murielle’s arm, pulling her to the center of the room and away from the walls.  The physical aspects of this dimension were starting to warp and merge with the physical world beyond.

“Darling, perhaps it is time to leave,” Loki said in a tone that was less a suggestion and more a command.

Murielle couldn’t agree more.  “What do we do with him?  We can’t leave his traitorous ass here.”

Loki nodded grimly, knowing the dangers of leaving loose ends.  He turned to the curator, saying, “We should split up.  You can take him,” gesturing toward Lucien Varner, “provided that he is punished for what he has done.”

The little man’s eyes danced a blood-lust of which Murielle never thought Moncrief was capable.  “It would be my pleasure to deal with him, personally.  I will contact you when it is safe to meet again.”

Murielle asked, "What about everything there?  What if it falls into the wrong hands?"

"Young lady, this isn't the first time that I have had to evacuate a location!  I will take care of this.  You take care of your friends," Moncrief began to wave his hands and objects started vanishing from sight.

Letting the curator do his thing, Murielle began to form a portal, somewhere that they could discreetly blend into a crowd.  She chose a side street off The Strip; the portal formed and everyone began running.  Moncrief and Varner were already gone from the space when Murielle looked around for anything that shouldn't be left behind to fall into the hands of their pursuers.

“Don’t dawdle, Murielle!  The curator can handle his own business!” Loki shouted impatiently as he passed through the portal.  More sparks flew.  As the next ward fell, Murielle saw a blue hand in a black sleeve shoot through the wall in front of her.  The black nails on the hand looked hard and sharp as flint; Murielle didn’t want to learn firsthand if that was the case.  She leapt through the portal as it started to close.

Murielle’s portal had taken them to the south side of the Planet Hollywood property.  She looked at everyone present.  No one seemed too badly shaken, though they were now all looking at her.  There was a lot to sort out and process.  Right now, Murielle wanted some distraction.  “I say we head to Cabo Wabo Cantina.  It’s this way,” she said as she started walking.  Realizing that no one was following, she turned around.  Everyone was still staring at her.

“What?  We aren’t going to get anything done right now.  Moncrief said he’d contact us when it was safe.  I say we go get a drink and hatch a plan.”

“Do you need to talk about any of that?” asked Steve.  The concern was written on his face and evident in his voice.

“Talk about what, Steve?” Murielle said with mild annoyance.  “The part where I found out that I’m an alien?  The part where I found out my dad wasn’t my dad?  Or the part where I found out that I was cursed?  That’s a lot baggage to unpack, right here and now.  I would rather soak my brain in tequila and figure out how to, oh I don’t know, not die or inadvertently help destroy the universe.”

“You don’t want to talk about any of it…at all?” countered Bruce.

“Nope,” Murielle said flatly as she spun on her heel to keep walking.

“Kid, you have to talk about it sometime,” said Tony.

“Now is not the fucking time, Tony!” shouted Murielle.

She didn’t want to engage in group therapy right now, or worse, be pitied.  Helplessness was not a feeling that Murielle ever handled well, but it was a feeling that was starting to overwhelm and drown out the torrent of emotions that she had experienced in the last hour.  Not having the distraction of near-death, attempted kidnapping, or conversation with the curator freed up too much of Murielle’s mental capacity for her to ignore it.  “ _I’ve gotta go do something.  Anything to keep from stewing in this_ ,” Murielle thought as she stalked off toward the entrance to the Miracle Mile shopping mall.

The rest of the group was stunned at her outburst.  Tony was hurt but tried to put of a front.  “She’ll come out of it, and she’ll apologize when she does,” he said in an unconvincing tone.

“That’s not like her,” said Clint.  “Even when she’s under the gun, she keeps it together pretty well.”

Loki was the only one who wasn’t entirely taken aback by Murielle’s mini-meltdown.  He thought to himself, “ _Everything has changed for her.  The very nature of who she is has been called into question.  Of course, she’s reacted badly.  It is no small thing to find out that one’s life has been built on a lie._ ”

Aloud, Loki said, “I will go talk with her.”

Now, all eyes were on him.  “You’re going to talk with her?  What do you know?  You’ve only just met her!” Tony was in shock and disbelief that this guy had the balls to suggest that he could get through to Murielle when Tony himself couldn’t.

Thor jumped to his brother’s defense.  “Loki knows more of such matters than you realize, Stark.  Perhaps he is the one to talk with her.”

“I won’t force the issue.  If she wants to talk, she’ll talk.  If not, she still cannot be left alone.  Not while she is being hunted,” Loki started walking.  He stopped and turned back to the group.  “Where is this Cabo Wabo Cantina?”

Reluctantly, Tony gave him directions.  “Knowing Murielle, she is walking through the mall to do some shopping along the way.  Rock of Ages, you have two hours.  After that, we are coming to look for you two.”

Loki nodded and took off in the same direction as Murielle.  Tony and the others watched Loki until he reached the entrance to the mall.  Tony turned to Thor, “I sure hope that you’re right about this.”

Thor looked down at his friend.  “I know that I’m right.”  From there, the God of Thunder began to tell his friends the things about his brother that they had never heard or realized about Loki.  As Thor’s tale went on, they all realized that he was correct: if anyone was equipped to talk Murielle down, it would be the God of Mischief.

* * *

 

Murielle tried to find distraction from her thoughts by window shopping.  In the Miracle Mile, there was ample opportunity for it.  However, the woman found no help in it.  She kept on walking through the crowd, now musing to herself, “ _I wonder how many of these people know that a ticking time bomb is in their midst?  How many of_ them _are aliens and don’t know it?  I wish I could go back to not knowing anything about this shit.  Any of it_.”

Without the benefit of stopping long along her way, Murielle made it to the other end of the mall in no time.  Cabo Wabo’s Baja-themed façade and neon lights invited her to get a margarita, with a basket of chips and salsa, and beckoning her along a different path of distraction and forgetfulness.  She was just about to place her order with the young, bubbly blonde behind the cash register when she saw the blonde’s brown eyes widen with surprise.  Judging by the look and the angle at which she was looking up, Murielle knew who was standing behind her.

“I hope you don’t mind if I join you for a drink,” a familiar voice purred behind her.

Murielle turned to look up at Loki; he was waiting for her answer.  In response, she smiled wryly and said, “I may be a poor drinking companion, but you’re welcome to it.”

Loki smiled at her in return.  “I have never had one of these.  What are you getting?”

“I usually get either a classic or a strawberry margarita and have them add shots of tequila to it.”

“Hmm.  Strawberry sounds good to me.”

Murielle ordered their drinks with extra shots, then cocked an eyebrow toward him.  “I didn’t figure on you having a sweet tooth.”

As he pulled out a chair for her, Loki grinned as he replied, “I tend to like all sorts of sweet things.”

Murielle chuckled.  “Well, you might be disappointed to find I’m not as sweet as you think.”

Now seated across from her, Loki kept grinning as he leaned forward.  “Oh, I doubt that I would be disappointed, darling.  Having already tasted your lips more than once, I’m sure that the rest of you is even sweeter.”

Murielle could feel the blush creeping up from below the neckline of her blouse.  She crossed her legs in a futile attempt to hide the fact that she was now feeling warmth and throbbing in her nether regions.  Not to mention the fact that she was sure her panties were soaked through right now.  To her right, she heard someone clear her throat.  It was the blonde who took their drink order, now delivering their margaritas, chips, some water, and a couple of menus.  The woman looked from Murielle to Loki as she set the items down.  She then smiled at Murielle and said with a hint of envy, “Lucky girl.”

Loki sat back, his eyebrows raised in feigned surprise at the waitress’ commentary as she walked away.  Murielle gave him a mockingly stern look, “Oh, quit it!  You’re not at all surprised by that.  As if your ego needed any more stroking.”

With a dark chuckle Loki responded, “You are quite right, Murielle.  It’s not my  _ego_  that needs stroking.”

Murielle almost choked on her drink.  She took a sip of her water, while Loki continued to chuckle at her obvious discomfort.  “I’m sorry, darling, but I’m afraid you rather set yourself up for that.”

The woman recovered from her coughing fit, saying, “You certainly don’t mince words.  I would have expected someone with the gift of gab to be a little more circumvent when flirting.”

“I can be direct, when it suits my purposes,” Loki replied.  “You are clever and not susceptible to the usual flattery.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Murielle answered him with a playful smirk, “I would hardly describe you as ‘desperate,’ Loki.  You have left a veritable assortment of swooning women in your wake in the last 24 hours.  A few men, too.”

He threw his head back and laughed, “Well, I hate to disappoint an adoring public, but I have been a bit distracted.”

The only thing that Murielle could do was laugh in response as she shook her head at him, saying, "'Desperate' isn't the word for you.  'Incorrigible,' is."

The God of Mischief shrugged, "I won't deny it.  Not one bit."

“ _Good.  I’ve gotten her to relax a bit_ ,” he thought.  His smile softened, as did his tone, “I’m glad to see you smiling.  That was no easy ordeal.”

“Please don’t tell me that you were sent as the ambassador?” Murielle said with a bit of a frown.  She was about halfway through her margarita and was determined to order another in the next 15 minutes.

Holding his hands up in mock-defense, Loki replied, “I am here of my own accord.  I won’t pry or force you to talk about it.  I am saying that if you want to talk to anyone, I know exactly what it’s like.”  He leaned in as his eyes locked with hers, “Exactly.”  In a rare show of discomfort, Loki broke from her gaze to stare at his hands, folded on the table before him.

Murielle was astonished at the earnestness in his voice and his eyes.  It clearly made him uncomfortable to be so open with her, or she suspected, with anyone.  She wasn’t about to open whatever millennium-old can of worms she may have stumbled upon, but she didn’t want to leave him hanging.  Murielle did the only thing she could think of: reaching across the table, she placed her hand on Loki’s and gave them a squeeze.  He looked up in disbelief.  When his eyes met hers, she simply said, “Thank you.”

After that, Loki and Murielle sat on the patio, watching people pass by on the sidewalks below.  They were across from the Bellagio, so every hour they could hear music drift over the traffic and crowd noise and saw the fountains spouting water in time to it.  Occasionally, Loki would make some comment about the people or vehicles.  Murielle would either laugh or have a comment of her own.  Mostly, they just enjoyed each other’s company.  Suddenly, Murielle asked, "Do you ever wish that you weren't what you are?"

They were now on their third round of drinks and sharing a plate of nachos.  Loki said, "I'm afraid that you will have to be more specific than that, Murielle.  I am a great many things.  To which are you referring?"

She blurted out, "A sorcerer.  Different from everyone else.  Don't you ever want to be normal?"

Loki sat back in his seat.  Without meaning to, she had hit upon a question that he had asked himself a long time ago.  A question to which, until a few years ago, he thought he knew the answer.  That question took on a whole new meaning for him now, but he didn't want to delve that far into it.

"I think that the notion of 'normalcy,' much like 'decency,' is overrated.  It implies that settling for mediocre is acceptable, whether it's a state of being or in one's behavior.  'Being normal' was never an option for me.  I was born a prince; for all of my existence the ordinary has not been a part of who I am."

He paused to let the weight of what he said to her sink in before he continued.  "To the question of sorcery, I have never wished to  _not_  have it," a sad smile came to Loki's lips, "I had a wonderful teacher.  She taught me to not be ashamed of my gift, but to use it as a way to augment what physical strength I had.  It wasn't easy to be a male practitioner of the Mystic Arts in a society that extolls brute strength.  Stealth is seen as cowardice, not cunning.  Sorcery in battle is looked upon as mere tricks and a practice for the physically weak."

Murielle watched as his countenance shifted from sad to bitter as he spoke.  Evidently, the nerve was still raw from whatever injustices he had suffered in the past. He then looked at her in sympathy as he said, "You, on the other hand, have had that training only very recently.  Even then, it is incomplete.  Moncrief mentioned your mother.  Was she a sorceress?"

"She was untrained, but naturally gifted.  Even without training she could do things, but she wasn't destructive.  Her abilities were more about seeing and hearing things that others could not.  As a child and as a teenager, it was clear that I had innate abilities very different from hers.  Without knowledge or training, I was scared.  I tried to suppress it, to conceal what I was.  It wasn't until I was well into adulthood that my powers became too much for me to control."

Murielle left unsaid was that she was still scared of the power she possessed.  What Varner had said about her made her even more fearful that the events of the past would repeat themselves on a grander scale.  Loki interrupted her thoughts as if he knew where her mind was going, "And that's what led to the incidents that Agent Romanov alluded to a few nights ago?”

Murielle simply nodded in reply, not trusting herself to rein in her emotions or keep from oversharing.  It had taken her five years to get over what she had done, even though she hadn't done it consciously.  Knowing that she had been cursed didn't help her situation at all.  How had she been cursed and by whom?  Moncrief didn't get a chance to tell her anything about that.  All he said is that its power had been weakened, but it had not been lifted.  " _That means that I'm still a danger to those around me..._ "

Loki found himself remembering his confrontation with Odin in the weapons vault as he watched Murielle's thoughts and emotions play out across her face.  He had asked the man he called "Father" if he was cursed.  What he learned that day was worse.  At least there was a chance at some remedy if he had been cursed.  Instead, he found that he was both a prince of another realm and a monster.  His mother had assured him that he was loved, in spite of his being the adopted son of a sworn enemy, but what had his father done?  He had admitted to using Loki as a pawn for political gain!  " _At least she can find some solace in only having to lift a curse_ ," Loki thought with a twinge of jealousy.

Aloud, he said, "Those events were a result of a curse and your lack of training, both of which can be remedied.  It will take time, which is a commodity in short supply these days."

"Until then, I'm a danger to myself and others, aren't I?"

Loki answered, “That, I do not know.  With my magic sealed, I cannot even begin to tell what manner of curse it is without knowing more about what happened.”

Murielle took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, willing the tears to subside.  Loki waited patiently as she struggled to maintain her composure.  When she had regained herself, Murielle spoke in a hollow voice.  “I cannot even tell you everything because it happened so quickly.  There are pieces missing, memories that I have tried to find that evade me.  I will tell you what I do remember.”  She proceeded to explain the events leading up to what happened in Chicago, and its aftermath.

* * *

 

It had been an ugly business from the start.  She was brought in on the Chicago project when Tony’s previous project manager had died of a sudden heart attack.  The whole project had been a giant cluster-fuck since they broke ground.  Tony referred to Murielle as “The Contractor Whisperer” because she always seemed to get the best work out of the most difficult craftsmen.  He could think of no one else to put in charge of The Stark Tower – Chicago project.

Her first day on the project, she met with all of the contractors.  Each one of them had his own foibles and challenges.  Things were going just fine, until her last meeting of the day.  Murielle had never met any creature that exuded pure evil.  That changed when she met Franklin McDermott.  Before she even knew his name, that man gave her the creeps.  From that day on, he began to take an unnatural interest in Murielle.  He followed her about the job site.  He started turning up at her hotel.  When she found an apartment, she would spot him in the lobby of her building or just outside the door.  It was about that time that the night terrors began.

Every night it was the same.  Her nightmares were of a demon with craggy, ashen blue skin over a gaunt face that was partially obscured by a black hood.  Its eyes red as blood and a large, toothless mouth occupied much of its face.  Behind it, was another sinister being.  This one had purple skin and a heavy jaw.  It sat silently upon a floating throne, surrounded by the darkness of a ruined wasteland, nothing but rocks under a cold blanket of stars she did not recognize.  The blue creature would speak to her in a gravelly voice, in a language she did not know, but she understood what it was saying.  It terrified her.

In her mind’s eye, the creature showed her death and destruction.  Everyone that she ever knew or loved strewn about, their bodies broken.  The screams of poor, tortured souls filled her ears.  This world and the worlds beyond laid to waste.  The creature would say, “Look upon your handiwork, sorceress.  Feast your eyes on the desolation that you have wrought.  Know you were very the instrument that I used.  Know now that Death is your mistress.”

It had gotten to the point where Murielle did not want to sleep.  She would nap throughout the night and into the early morning hours, but never fall into a deep sleep.  It took a toll on her sanity.  She began to see the creature in her waking hours; Murielle would see it out of the corner of her eye or notice a shadow behind her.  It was leering at her, taunting her.  The creature and McDermott became interchangeable.  She would be talking to someone at the job site and see the creature.  When she turned to face it, however, the creature was gone and McDermott was in its place.  There would be fleeting glimpses of the creature in McDermott’s reflection in a pane of glass or a wet surface.

This went on for a month.  One night, they were installing the generators for the tower’s energy supply.  The work had been going round the clock and Murielle was about to head home after the graveyard shift got started.  As she was leaving, McDermott entered the office trailer.  Murielle try to walk past him, but he began to speak in the same strange language as the thing in her nightmares.  She suddenly blacked out.

When she woke up, she was laying on the ground outside the fence of the job site.  Tony, wearing his Iron Man suit, his face uncovered was yelling at her to wake up.  The sight greeted her eyes was her nightmares come to life.  The building was a molten wreck of twisted steel and glass fused to the ground.  The asphalt of the parking lot glowed like lava.  There was no more office trailer.  The acrid smells of the charred wreckage and bodies stung her nostrils and made her wretch.

The sound of sirens filled the air as Tony scooped her up and flew off.  They didn’t stop until they reached the South Side.  It was there that Tony got her cleaned up and had her explain what happened.  After plying her with alcohol, he told her that SHIELD was already trying to get him to surrender her.  He told her that Pepper would be coming to get her and take her home to California.  She continued to suffer from the nightmares and had several more blackouts, one of which was on the ranch when SHIELD tried to take her into custody.  It wasn’t until she began her training at Kamar-Taj that the nightmares stopped, as did the black outs.

By the time that Murielle had finished telling Loki her story, she felt tears start to course down her cheeks.  Loki, for his part, was silent.   That worried her.

“Loki?  Please say something.”


	14. A Little Too Close for Comfort

For once, Loki was at a complete loss for words.  His thoughts, however, were multiplied exponentially.  She had just described Vardun and Thanos.  What’s more, she had just told him that she was cursed and influenced by Vardun to become a means of destruction.  Her interactions with them were in the form of night terrors, but that made them no less potent.  The fact that she had the amulet containing Loki’s magic may trigger events too horrible for him to even imagine…and he had been tortured by Thanos and his minions.

What Murielle described was mild in comparison to the suffering that he had endured at the hands of The Other and the nameless entities that dwelled within Thanos’ sphere.  Creatures made of nothing more than shadow and malevolence who, while lacking corporeal form, were no less adept at inflicting unspeakable pain.  To be tormented from without, to have one’s body flayed open, slashed, beaten, burned, frozen, and then healed so that the process could start afresh?  That was one thing.

These creatures, however, attacked the mind and soul.  Being twisted and mangled from within so that one’s physical form began to show the effects of such torture was far worse.  This sort of agony was especially acute for beings like Loki.  His wits, his cunning, even his magic were all grounded in the prodigious capacity of his mind.  To break down his mental faculties was to destroy him at a level so fundamental that, even removed from the experience by the passage of time, Loki doubted that he would ever be free of it.

Now, this woman sat before him, a mirror of his own pain.  He could not bear it, and his weakness brought him shame.  He masked his shame as he always did: with anger.  “What would you have me say?  Would you have me take your hand and tell you things will be alright?  Would you rather I lie to you?  I am the God of Lies, after all.”

Her own anger rose with her voice, “So what am I supposed to do?  Give up?  Let them win?  No!  I will not!  I may have never wanted this, Loki, but I will damn sure to put up a fight.”

“Foolish woman!  There is no fight to be won against Thanos.  The only thing to do is run.  Even then, running will only buy you precious little time.”

She gave him an accusatory look as she asked, “Is that what you have been doing?  Buying time?  Waiting until you can regain your powers so you can ditch everyone else?”

“Why?  Would you miss me?” Loki asked mockingly.

Murielle felt as if someone had knocked the wind out her.  She wanted to stand up from the table and leave, but her legs wouldn’t cooperate.  Instead, she sat there.  When she could finally speak, her voice wavered.  “Yes, I would.  You’re right, Loki.  I am a foolish woman.  For a minute, I thought that I might have been something other than a means to an end for you.  My mistake.”

With that, Murielle rose from the table.  As she walked past him, Loki stood and grabbed her arm.  “Where do you think you’re going?” he growled.

“Leaving.  I figured that you wouldn’t mind.”

“I do mind,” he ground out as he held firm to her arm.  Several of the cantina’s patrons were now watching but did not interfere.  “I told you once already.  You have something that belongs to me, and you are not leaving my side until I get it back.”

Murielle said nothing as she glared back at him.  Her left hand was concealed from his sight; energy flowed through her veins and nerves, tingling at her fingertips.  Once she knew there was enough power built up there, she snarled back, “I would love to see you try and make me.”

Loki tightened his grip on her arm, his eyes boring into hers.  He was so focused on staring her down, that he didn’t see the slap coming this time.  Murielle’s hand connected with his right cheek and sent him sprawling across the patio and almost over the railing, onto the sidewalk.  Without waiting to see him get up, Murielle stalked out of the cantina.  She was already out the door when she saw Tony and Thor, followed by the rest of the Avengers.

Everyone could see that she was beyond agitated.  Her expression softened slightly at the sight of Tony.  “I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier, Tony.  I’d love to stay and chat, but right now I need to go back to the hotel.”

Tony was confused by the instantaneous and hurried apology but was glad for it.  Then, it occurred to him, “Murielle?  Where is Loki?”

Murielle didn’t even have time to answer because Loki came barreling out of the Cabo Wabo Cantina in a fit of rage, and a Murielle-sized red handprint on the right side of his face.  His eyes fell on Murielle, and he bolted toward her.  This time, she didn’t run.  Murielle held up her hands Loki ran up against a wall of energy; he landed flat on his back. 

With a frigid tone, she addressed Loki, “Do _not_ follow me.”

Before he could stand again, Murielle created a portal to her suite and was gone.  Everyone gathered around the God of Mischief, who still lay prone on the floor. 

Tony looked down at Loki with a hint of sympathy.  “Reindeer Games, you sure have a way women, don’t you?”

* * *

 

Murielle took off her blouse, pencil skirt, and heels as soon as she reached her room.  She wanted to be comfy and not go anywhere.  She put on a tank top and shorts, then plopped down on the bed.  She tried watching TV, but she kept thinking about Loki.  “How could I be so fucking stupid?” she asked.

Loki had been playing her just so he could get that damn box!  All the flirting, the time spent together…Oh God, the kissing and the heavy petting!  It had all been a ploy to get her to get his powers back.

What’s worse, she had been receptive to his advances!  He was so thorough in his deception that he even covered his bases in case she could read his thoughts.  Which she did!  “ _Wow!  That really is playing on a whole different level_ ,” thought Murielle.  Her cheeks were hot with shame, as she recalled flirting right back and her disappointment back at Stark’s penthouse when he had stopped short of undressing her and having his way.

She had just about fallen asleep when her phone started ringing.  It was Tony; she answered hesitantly.  “Hey, boss.”

“Hey, kid.  I just wanted to check on you.  You hungry?  We’re going to go get some dinner.”

Her stomach growled, but Murielle ignored it.  “No, I’m fine.  I think that I’ll call room service and stay in.”

“Are you sure, Murielle?  We are all worried about you.”

“I know  _you_  are, but you may be overestimating it when you say that you’re ‘all’ worried.”

“You referring to Reindeer Games?  He’s been worse than a hemorrhoid since you left!   He’s almost likeable when you’re around.  Right now? He’s a giant pain in the ass!”  She couldn’t help but giggle a bit at that.

“I heard that, Murielle.  C’mon, it’s not good for you to mope.  I’ll have Banner Hulk-out and sit him if he makes you cry again."

Murielle heard Bruce's voice in the background shout, "I would totally do it!"

Tony continued, "Will that work?”

Murielle sighed.  She knew that if she said “no,” Tony would be calling her every hour, on the hour.  Or worse…he’d show up with everyone at her door and insist on having a slumber party in her suite!  “Fine.  I’ll come to dinner with you guys.  Where are we going?”

“You’re making the right choice, kid.  We are going to Eiffel, then Hakkasan afterward, so dress to impress.  Be up here in an hour.”

Murielle hung up the phone and hurried to get showered and ready.  “The right choice” indeed!  Tony knew that Murielle loved that restaurant.  It was either a peace offering or a lure to get her to come out with them.  As for the green-eyed “Pain-in-the-Ass-gardian,” she would just have to ignore him.  Better yet, she could show him just how easily he was forgotten.  Murielle was now a woman on a manhunt.  She went to her closet and pulled out the green, sleeveless cowl neck dress.

She swept her hair up into a twist and secured it with a gold comb studded with emeralds.  A few tendrils of hair fell loose on each side and curled slightly.  She had a pair of gold chandelier earrings.  Murielle’s favorite piece was a gold cuff bracelet that had been her mother’s.  The metal was worked to look like vines on a trellis.  A line of alternating emeralds and diamonds were set into the edges of the bracelet.  Murielle was going to go all out: she went with a dramatic smoky eye in tans and browns with her eyeliner a deep chocolate.   She chose a deep red lipstick that rival the shade of her nail polish.  Donning her black patent pumps and a vintage black fur stole, she made her way up to Tony and Pepper’s villa.

The men had worn their best suits, even Thor was in a nicely tailored suit and tie (thanks to Tony and Steve’s help).  Natasha and Pepper were dressed to the nines; Natasha wore a black bandage dress that fit her like a glove.  Pepper wore a deep purple sheath dress with a squared neckline to show off the gorgeous necklace that Tony had given her for her birthday.  When the elevator doors opened to and Murielle entered the villa, Tony let out an exaggerated wolf whistle.  “Holy shit, Murielle!  I said, ‘dress to impress,’ not ‘dress to give Steve a heart attack!’” 

Murielle turned to see that Steve was blushing from embarrassment as Tony called him out.  Taking pity on the super-soldier, she replied, “Aw leave him be, Tony.  He didn’t do anything to you.”

“Well, I know someone who’s hell-bent on not going to bed alone tonight,” Tony said as he waggled his eyebrows at Murielle.

She gave a non-committal shrug.  “If it happens, great.  If not, oh well.  Although, five years is a hell of a dry spell, Tony.”  As she spoke she noticed that Loki was not in the room.  In fact, he had not been there when she entered.

“Ha!  You should talk to Rogers about dry spells,” Tony said as he handed her a cocktail.  “We are waiting on the hemorrhoid,” he explained.  Clint snickered from his seat behind Murielle.  Apparently, that was now Loki’s new nickname.

Tony looked across the room, “Thor, could you go see what’s taking His Highness so long to get ready?  Tell him that Murielle is already here.  She looks much prettier than he does, so he needs to quit trying to compete.”

Thor went into his shared room with Loki to see what was keeping his brother.  When he entered, he saw his brother had just finished getting dressed in one of his suits.  “Loki, Stark wanted me to let you know that Murielle is here.”

“Hmph,” replied Loki as he fastened his cufflinks.

“Stark also told me to say that she’s much prettier than you, so quit trying to compete.”

Loki scowled in response.  “Tell Stark that he wouldn’t know ‘pretty’ if it slapped him in the face.”

“The way she slapped you, brother?” Thor positively glowed at having gotten a verbal jab at his sharp-tongued younger brother.

The big oaf was so proud of himself, that Loki couldn’t be mean.  He decided to kill him with kindness.  “Well done, Thor.  Your first comeback!  Maybe later, we can work on puns.”

Thor just laughed it off, clapping Loki on the back, “Hurry up!  We are waiting.”

Loki stepped out of the room, and a wave of nervousness came over him, briefly.  He didn’t know what to expect from Murielle.  In the fallout of their fight, he had spoken with Thor privately about what she said.  Both of her past experiences with Vardun and Thanos…and what she said about her feelings toward him.  The overgrown kid had pick Loki up and danced around the room with him!

“Brother, this is wonderful!” Thor crowed.

“In what way is this ‘wonderful,’ Thor?  Am I supposed to be pleased that someone else has been dragged into this?  That she must run, too?”

“No, brother!  Be happy that she cares for you!  Be happy that you have someone who understands a bit of what you went through.  You cannot shoulder this burden alone…neither can she.”

Loki hated to admit it, but Thor was surprisingly insightful.  “ _Since when did Thor become the one to see things that others cannot_?”

Loki rounded the corner but stopped dead in his tracks.  Now he saw why Stark had made such a big production of greeting her.  He didn’t care if anyone else noticed him staring; to him, Murielle looked like water to a man dying of thirst.  Loki didn’t just want her.  He needed her!

Her cool demeanor was not enough to put him off, so he kept staring.  The way she wore her hair was effortless and elegant.  Her curves and lovely limbs were accentuated by the dress.  Loki tried to keep from staring at her breasts.  They were difficult to ignore, especially when she walked by him.  He could see down the neckline of her dress, catching glimpses of soft skin and black lace.  “ _Intolerable cruelty that I cannot take her off to bed right now!_ ” Loki thought as he continued to take in every detail.  Only when he felt the front of his pants tighten did he force himself to look away.  Otherwise, would have made for an awkward evening.

Stark led them downstairs to the waiting party bus to take them to dinner.  Loki made it a point to walk alongside Murielle to the rotunda and to sit next to her on the bus.  His attempts to make conversation with her were met with courteous, but brief, answers.  The God of Mischief knew what a cold-shoulder felt like, but he was nothing if not persistent.

He stayed at her side as they made their way through the casino at Paris and made sure to have a seat next to her at dinner.  Again, she was all cool gentility.  It was starting to grate on Loki’s nerves.  He knew this woman well enough to know that she loved playful banter almost as much as he.  “ _What do I have to do, beg for forgiveness?  Grovel on my hands and knees?  Muspelheim can freeze before I crawl for anyone’s pardon!_ ”

Thor, seeing his brother’s agitation, asked if they could be excused for a moment.  Murielle seemed to watch with detached interest as the Asgardians stepped into the bar area to have a chat.  Secretly, she was pleased with how well things were going.  “ _We haven’t even had our entrees, and Loki’s already pissed.  This going better than I expected!_ ”

Loki barely made it to the bar before he exploded.  “The nerve of that woman!  Who does she think she is!   _She_  accused  _me_  of toying with her!  Ha!  I should be taking notes.  If I wanted to learn how to use and abuse someone’s feelings, I couldn’t have chosen a better equipped teacher.”

Thor let his brother vent.  A few of the men in the bar stood up and cheered at Loki’s tirade.  Cries of “That’s right, buddy!” and “Bitches are crazy!” came from a boisterous group in the corner.  Obviously, it was a stag night party.  Thor gave them a warning glare, and the young men returned to their drinks.  The God of Thunder then turned his attention to his brother, “Have you tried apologizing to Lady Murielle?”

“How can I apologize if the woman won’t talk to me?” replied Loki with an exasperated gesture toward the dining room.

“Have you actually asked to have a word alone with her and uttered the words ‘I am sorry’?”

An old man seated at the bar had overheard Thor and turned to Loki, “Don’t do it, pal.  It’s trap.  Once you say you’re sorry, you’re stuck being sorry for the rest of the time you’re together.  I’ve been married six times.  I know what I’m talking about.”

Loki faced to the old man, “Six times, you say?  Have you ever wonder if  _you_  are the common denominator in that math of equation of love?”

Thor stepped between Loki and the old man before it went to blows.  “Brother, you must try.  She was deeply hurt by what you said.  She thinks that you are only interested in regaining your power and leaving.  Prove her wrong.”

The brothers stared each other down for a minute.  Finally, Loki shoulders relaxed and he relented.  “Thor, would you please ask Lady Murielle to come here?  I have something that I would like to say.”

While the brothers were in the bar, Murielle continued to talk with Steve about growing up on a ranch in California.  He was fascinated that she was a “real-life cowgirl.”  Clint joined in when the conversation turned to the animals (he owned a farm, after all).  Tony started making inappropriate barnyard jokes.  Murielle looked up and saw Thor waving her over.

“Lady Murielle, my brother wishes to have a word with you,” Thor looked down at Murielle with such a pleading look that she didn’t have the heart to string things along anymore.  Thor gestured to a small table in the corner, where the God of Mischief waited with a drink in front of him and a drink in front of an empty chair.  Murielle sighed as she walked over to see what Loki had to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot claim credit for Loki's "math equation of love" crack. That belongs to Ron White. Sure, Mr. White is a mortal, but Loki appreciates salty, yet observant, humor wherever he can find it.


	15. Dancing on the Edge

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Thor give Loki a toothy grin and a thumbs-up.  Murielle had to fight to keep from smiling at the big blond goon.  “ _He so wants his brother to be happy.  How could those two have raised by the same parents?_ ” she mused.  As she approached, she saw the anxious look on Loki’s face.  Murielle took a little pity on him and broke the ice.  “I meant to tell you earlier that you look great in this suit.”

The compliment relaxed Loki, just a bit.  He smiled at her.  “Thank you.  I knew that you would look lovely in this dress.  I didn’t know that you would be positively ravishing.”

As much as she tried to hide it, Murielle felt the blush creep up into cheeks.  It deepened as Loki continued to stare at her.  She fiddled with the cocktail napkin in front of her, not daring to look him in the eye.  Neither one spoke, until he put his hand over hers to keep them from fidgeting and said, “Murielle, I need you to look at me.”

She raised her gaze to his, not sure what to expect.  She wasn’t expecting to see his eyes moist with unshed tears.  And she certainly didn’t expect to hear what he said next.  “I am sorry for causing you additional pain.  You had just taken me into your confidence, expecting to have a friend to lean on.  Instead, I scared you and made you believe that I did not have your best interests at heart.  That was not my intent.”

Murielle bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and blinked back tears that threatened to fall.  He was still holding her hands with one of his, now his thumb rubbed the back of her hand and top of her knuckles as he continued speaking.  “Murielle, please understand: when you told me about the creatures of your nightmares and what they had done to you, it reminded me…”

Loki paused to inhale deeply.  “It made me remember my own experiences in the tender love and care of Thanos.  While you could find some respite from your torments, mine were continuous.  Time itself lost meaning because I was taken from one personal hell to another, only given enough time to recover so that I would not be numb to the torment when it started anew.  It seemed like the slow march of centuries, but it was in fact only a year.  What made it worse was that the torture was from the inside out.  Physical scars fade more readily than mental and spiritual ones, I’m afraid.”

After Loki finished, Murielle didn’t know what to do.  She wanted to cry for him.  She wanted to throw her arms around him and just hold him.  She wanted to scream at him for not telling her before now.  She wanted to tell him about what she had seen when she glimpsed into his mind.  She wanted to get the hell out of this restaurant with him so he could let all that pent-up emotion out, however he needed to do it.  Mostly though, she wanted him to know that he was forgiven.

She leaned over and placed a tender kiss on his cheek.  “Apology accepted.  I am sorry for not realizing you were reliving your own battles as I told you about mine.”

“Hmm.  I will accept your apology, but you have to do something for me.”

“Oh really? What might that be?” Murielle asked with her eyebrows slightly raised.

He smirked as he said, “You have to give me a real kiss.  No more pecks on the cheek!”

“Just a kiss.  We are in public, after all,” Murielle said before she pressed her lips to his.  Loki teased her mouth open with his tongue, exploring it with languid strokes.  His hands drifted down her back to cup her ass as he pulled her closer.  She ended up in his lap, their mouths still drawing each other in.  Murielle moaned into his kiss.  Loki answered her with a low growl at the back of his throat.  They were interrupted by hoots and cat calls from the stag night party, ranging from “Damn, get a room you two!” to “Someone’s getting laid tonight!”

Murielle rubbed the tip of her nose against his as she asked, “Friends of yours?”

Loki grimaced.  “Eavesdroppers and voyeurs.  I would hardly call them ‘friends.’”

“I think we are being missed at dinner.  Shall we?” Murielle said as she slid out of Loki’s lap and stood up.

The playful smirk was back.  “Now who’s the tease?”

Murielle looked up at him as held out his hand to her.  She said, “Just a minute,” as she grabbed a napkin off the table to wipe her lipstick off his lips.  She then checked her own lips with her compact before taking his hand.    They passed the group of gawking young men, and without stopping, she called out, “The show’s over, gentlemen.  Be sure to tip your waitress.”

Laughing as he squeezed her hand, Loki said, “Now, _that_ was naughty.”

“Are you complaining?”

“Oh, no.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Murielle and Loki came back to the table just as their entrees were being served.  Tony looked up expectantly, “So?  Are you two all better now?  Did you kiss and make up?”

Loki looked at Murielle with a devilish grin.  Murielle looked at him, thinking, “ _Please don’t say anything.  Please don’t say anything.  Please don’t..._ ”

Too late.  Loki turned to Tony, “If making up with Murielle is always like that, I shall have to pick a fight with her more often.”

Murielle wanted to shrink and disappear under the intense stares of everyone at the table.  She was blushing so furiously that she thought she would spontaneously combust.  Loki, meanwhile, wore the most insufferable grin on his face.  The only person who wasn’t staring in shock was Thor.  His grin was almost as bad as Loki’s.  Tony, meanwhile, just stared from her to Loki, then back again as he said, “You know, Murielle, you do a piss-poor job of hiding what you’re thinking.  As much shit as you’ve been giving Reindeer Games, it’s pretty obvious what’s been going on.  I’m just glad it’s out in the open now.”

Murielle looked up from her plate, completely stunned at Tony’s response.  She looked at Loki, who seemed just as surprised as she was.  Tony then looked at the God of Mischief, “And you.  I’m serious about having Banner’s green friend sit on you if you’re an asshole to her again!”

Loki looked across the table at Bruce, who simply grinned and let a wave of green pass over his face.  Reflexively, he gulped as he dryly said, “Duly noted.”

The rest of dinner passed pleasantly for most of the group.  Loki and Murielle had easily fallen a pattern of bantering with each other and poking fun at others and each other.  The biggest difference was that their flirtation was out in the open, now.  This caused many an eye roll from Tony and Clint.  Tony was still trying to decide if happy Loki was better than sulking Loki.  At least he was used to sulking Loki; Tony didn’t know how to handle happy Loki and found it unnerving.  Clint, on the other hand, was not pleased with the development at all.  Her powers were volatile at best, and Loki was, well…Loki.  Clint wouldn’t say anything about it, especially in front of Thor.  With the way that the big guy was grinning from ear to ear, you’d think he had won the lottery.  It was obvious that he liked the idea of those two as a couple.

Once they were done at Eiffel, they got back on the party bus and headed to the MGM Grand.  It was quite a walk through the casino to the nightclub; of course, the MGM had the largest footprint of any casino in Vegas.  All the while, Murielle could feel the eyes of passersby fall on their group.  Some eyes watched them with more interest than others.  Without meaning to, she tightened her grip on Loki’s hand.  He looked down to see Murielle’s eyes darting from one face to another, watching the crowd that passed around them.

“What do you see, little fox?”

Murielle looked up at him with a nervous smile.  “I just have the feeling that we are being watched with a little more interest than usual.”

He smiled wryly in return.  “I suppose being in the company of The Avengers breeds a sort of notoriety.”

“No, it’s not that.  I can’t tell exactly, but I feel like they are watching _us_.”

Loki’s back stiffened slightly, but nothing else betrayed his heightened level of alertness.  “You know, we have yet to hear back from Moncrief.  Vardun came dangerously close, and I doubt that he has left this realm.  Not with us having slipped through his fingers.”

Murielle grimly replied, “Yes.  Perhaps literally.  Before we left Navit’s, I had seen a hand shoot out of a wall.  Big and blue, with black, sharp nails.”

Loki stopped short; she stopped with him.  “You saw just a hand?  Nothing else?  Did you see a face materialize?  Did he see you?”

Murielle shook her head.  “No.  The portal closed before the body attached to the hand and arm could come through the wall.  Judging by the length of the arm and where the shoulder was, I’d say it was attached to something taller than you.”

“That,” Loki said, “was Vardun.  You had seen him before in your visions.  To see him in the flesh, well, it will be a shock.”

“Do you think it will come to that?” Natasha was now walking alongside Murielle.

“I’m afraid so, Agent Romanov.  Vardun wants the amulet, and the one who carries it.  No doubt, he plans to free my powers using Murielle as a vessel.  If he succeeds, he would then be powerful enough to handle the Infinity Stones.  At least long enough to gather them for Thanos.”

“What would happen to Murielle?”

“She would either perish from the sheer magnitude of my magic and hers combined within her physical body, or she would become Vardun’s thrall.  A mindless slave to his will, with no trace of her own.  At best, her soul drift and be allowed to leave this plane.  Worst-case, she would be a prisoner in her own mind and body until she was destroyed.”

Natasha gave them a curt nod, then fell back to confer with Clint, Bruce, and Steve.  Murielle could hear the murmur of conversation as they talked about staying alert.  Thor, who had been walking beside Loki, heard everything.  “Brother, we will protect her…and you.  Vardun will leave empty-handed.  I promise.”

Tony and Pepper were walking toward the front.  “Hey, kid.  Do you since a disturbance in the Force?”

Murielle frowned.  “If only it were that easy, boss.  Jedi mind tricks would come in handy right about now.  Just stay on your toes.”

“Relax!  We are headed to VIP in one of the most secure clubs in the middle of a Vegas casino.  If anyone comes looking for trouble, they have a lot security to go through before they get to us.  We will be ready.”

Murielle knew that Tony was right; they would have some advanced warning.  This didn’t put her entirely at ease, but she loosened her death grip on Loki’s hand.  Loki felt her relax and looked down at her.  She was still on alert.  Putting his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her closer and placed a kiss on her forehead.  “Stark is right, darling.  They must come to us and will risk much if they try to attack us now.  Vardun lost the element of surprise.  Knowing this, he may choose to re-group and wait.”

They finally made it inside the nightclub, where the hostess took them to their tables.  The DJ was already half way through his first set when they arrived.  The crowd at the edge of the dance floor parted for them like Moses parting the Red Sea.  As if their entrance wasn’t conspicuous enough, the wait staff brought up their bottles carrying sparklers and with all the fanfare of a Super Bowl victory parade.  Murielle leaned over to shout over the music, “Tony, I don’t think enough people noticed us as we came in.  There were a few people in the corner over there that weren’t paying attention.”

“I can’t help if we are famous and ridiculously good-looking, kid.”

Loki was busy scanning the crowd for anyone paying an unusual amount of attention to their group.  He had noticed men looking at Murielle but determined that they were how did the Midgardians say it… ”checking her out?”  He wasn’t surprised by this; in addition to being attractive, she had a personality that commanded attention.  The entire group seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief and then began to enjoy themselves.

After watching the people on the dance floor, Loki figured that it was safe to ask Murielle to dance with him.  Tony, not to be outdone, grabbed Pepper hand and followed them.  Natasha watched appreciatively has Loki danced with Murielle.  Leaning over to Thor she asked, “Where did your brother learn how to dance?”

Thor laughed.  “Loki has always been the better dancer, of the two of us.  Our mother insisted that we both learn, but I was too awkward.  Loki, on the other hand, has an ear for music and better footwork.”

Natasha nodded and continued watching as the pair swayed with the music.  She sat back in her seat and leaned into Bruce saying, “I hate to admit it, but they are kinda cute together.”

Bruce looked at her, “What makes you say that?”

Natasha shrugged.  “I don’t know.  It’s like they balance each other out.  She’s smart and isn’t afraid to use her powers on him when she needs to.  I think she can be good for him.”

Clint looked at Natasha in disbelief.  “You’re going to encourage that?  Murielle seems like a nice woman.  But what if Loki gets his powers back?”

Thor, overhearing Clint, replied “Don’t worry, Barton.  If Loki’s powers are restored, it is because Father has deemed him worthy.  Besides, he would not harm Lady Murielle.”

* * *

Murielle was having a blast!  She hadn’t been dancing since well before she went to Kamar-Taj.  Even then, the guy she was with had crushed her poor toes to the point where she was hobbling at the end of the night.  Of course, when you’re dance partner is tall, dark, handsome, and has dance moves that make Patrick Swayze look like Anthony Michael Hall, it’s hard not to have fun.  As they moved and swayed to the music, the smile on her face told Loki that she was enjoying herself.  He found Midgardian dance in this era to be delightfully chaotic, it was certainly not as rigid and formal as in earlier eras.

They had been dancing for quite some time, and the dance floor grew more crowded as the evening went on.  This forced Murielle to press closer to him.  Not that Loki was averse to this; he enjoyed holding her even closer and moving in rhythm to the music.   He breathed in the scent of her hair and skin.  For not the first time, he wished he had his magic.  Loki wanted to teleport them out of the club and back to the hotel, carrying her straight to his room.  Thor could sleep on the couch in the living room.  Norns only knew how many times Loki had been "sexiled" from shared quarters in their travels as younger men!

Loki was just about to suggest that the two of them go somewhere more private, when there was a sudden commotion near the bar.  Loki wrapped his arms around Murielle protectively as he saw not one, but three bodies of unsuspecting patrons thrown from in front of the bar into the crowd on the dance floor.  Loki caught Tony’s attention and motioned back toward the VIP area.  Loki did not need to look to know what had caused the panic that now swept through the patrons of the nightclub.  The telltale red shimmer of magic dissipating from the bodies of those thrown told him it was Vardun and his minions.

Tony was shouting for Pepper to take cover.  Murielle, meanwhile, was retrieving weapons from the pocket dimension.  It looked like a magic show worthy of its own marquee on The Strip.  She opened her purse and began removing Natasha’s pistols and Clint’s bow and quiver.  Then she said, “Loki!  Catch,” as she tossed Loki a dagger in its scabbard.  With a wave of her hand, she retrieved Captain America’s shield from thin air and toss it to him.  Tony’s armor flew in from its standby position outside. Mjolnir came crashing through the doors of the club at its master’s call.

Loki grabbed her by the shoulders and said, “Murielle, you need to get Ms. Potts out of here.  Go back to the hotel and wait for us there.”

“What if it’s a trap and they are anticipating that we will go back to the villa?  I think I need to get Pepper somewhere far away from Vegas,” Murielle replied.

“She’s has a point, brother.  Let Murielle take Pepper somewhere else,” shouted Thor after he clobbered a sorcerer that tried to rush him.

Loki turned back to Murielle.  “Right.  We will let you know when it is safe to return.  In the meantime, stay away from here.”

Murielle only half-listened.  She needed to get Pepper out of there, but she had no intention of staying away.  She wasn’t going to tell Loki that.  She nodded and began to make a portal to Tony’s penthouse in New York.  “C’mon, Pep.  Let’s blow this pop stand!”

Pepper obliged Murielle and ran through the portal, with Murielle close behind her.  The portal closed on the chaotic scene at Hakkasan, leaving them in the eerily silent penthouse.   Murielle began to make another portal.  Pepper cried in horror, “Murielle!  Where are you going!?!”

The portal opened to a dark corridor lined with glass cases, leading to a staircase.  A place Pepper didn’t recognize, but that Murielle knew well.  Turning back to her friend, Murielle said, “I need to go get a weapon and join the others.  Keep your phone handy.”

With that, Murielle stepped into the foyer of the Sanctum Santorum.  A tall figure in a maroon cape stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at her.  “Murielle Bonneau, I did not expect to see you so soon.  I am Dr. Stephen Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme.”


	16. Welcome to the Nightmares in My Head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I revised the tags to account for this chapter.
> 
> Enjoy!

Murielle looked rather out of place here, still dressed for a night on the town rather than dressed for battle.  Dr. Strange, however, seem to take it in stride.  He only seemed mildly curious as to the reason for her visit.  The woman hurriedly explained the situation.  As she came to the conclusion of her story, Strange looked at her appraisingly.

“You need a weapon,” his words a statement, rather than a question.

“Yes.  I can only do so much with my training.  I am more effective if I have a weapon in hand.”

“Wouldn’t you be better off staying hidden and away from the battle?”

Murielle vigorously shook her head.  “They need all the help that they can get, Doctor.  I need you to come with me.  Besides,” she gave a wry smile, “isn’t this your job?  To face the threats the Avengers aren’t equipped to handle?”

Dr. Strange replied with a dry laugh.  “Yes, that’s the general idea around here.  Alright, let’s get you a weapon, and for God’s sake, change your clothes.  You’re not rolling VIP right now.”

Murielle followed Dr. Strange throughout the Sanctum.  There was one artifact in particular that she sought.  She only hoped that it was still there and had not been lost or destroyed when Kaecillius attacked the Sanctums.  Murielle’s eyes fell upon the sword.  As she approached the case she said, “Hello, old friend.”

She felt, rather than heard, the sword greet her.  “ _It’s about damn time you came back for me.  This place is so boring!_ ”

Murielle opened the case, removing the sword and its scabbard.  Behind her, she heard Dr. Strange say with mild disbelief, “That sword will allow you to wield it?”

She nodded as she said, “The Ancient One realized that I could use it when I disarmed Master Mordo while training with him.  I reached out my hand and the sword flew from his hands to mine.  He tried to take it back, but it wouldn’t listen to him.  I had to leave it when I left Kamar-Taj.”

Turning to face the Sorcerer Supreme.  “I need to change,” she said as she retrieved a duffel from the pocket dimension.  A few minutes later, she was standing in the hallway, wearing a Kevlar-enforced body suit and armed with a dagger in her boot, some throwing knives, and the sword.  Dr. Strange was at her side as she made the portal back to Hakkasan.  The scene before her was the dance floor littered with bodies clad in black, the Avengers were holding their ground, and the multi-colored lights of the nightclub still spinning and pulsating to music that still blared over the sound system.  Her heart jumped in her throat when she didn’t see the one person she was looking for.  “ _Loki, you had better not be dead,_ ” she thought as she jumped through the portal.

* * *

 

The portal that gave Vardun’s apprentices access to the nightclub had remained open for the last 20 minutes, a testament to the power that Vardun had.  Loki could tell that they were little more than foot soldiers with some training in the Mystic Arts.  Their battle spells were not very sophisticated; half of these apprentices didn’t even have enough presence of mind to cast any spells.  Without their sorcery, Loki dispatched them ease.

Mjolnir whizzed by Loki’s head knocking out a line of young apprentices as they poured through the portal.  When the hammer returned his way, Thor was at Loki’s side.  He turned and caught Thor’s eye, giving him a smirk.  “I think that you missed a few, Thor.”

Thor grinned back at him.  “Just like old times, brother!”

“Oh, indeed,” replied Loki.  “Although, I find your new friends more palatable than the Warriors Three.”

“What of Lady Sif, brother?”

“Sif was easy on the eyes, but was otherwise intolerable,” he said as he grabbed an apprentice by the hair and slit his throat.  He continued with a smirk, “Even then, I only found her attractive when I turned her blonde hair black.”

Thor laughed, “Don’t let her hear you say that.”

Loki looked about with his brow furrowed.  Something wasn’t right.  “ _Why has Vardun not struck yet?  He sends in his apprentices, knowing that they are little more than cannon fodder.  Unless Murielle was right about him lying in wait elsewhere_.”

The God of Mischief was comforted to know that she was safely away and out of reach.  He could look after himself, but was not willing to tempt fate trying to look after her in the pitch of battle.  Suddenly, another portal opened to Loki’s left.  He rushed it, preparing to slash whoever dared to come through it.  He then saw a familiar brown head dive through it.  Murielle was clad in a blue armor-enforced suit like the one usually worn by the Black Widow, carrying a sword that look vaguely familiar in design.  Behind her, was a goateed man dressed in the robes of Kamar-Taj whom he recognized as the Sorcerer Supreme.

“Woman!  I thought I told you to get somewhere safe and stay there!”  Loki didn’t want to let her know how glad he was for reinforcements of the magical sort because he was still upset that she put herself in harm’s way.

Even in the face of imminent danger, Murielle couldn’t help herself.  “I did as you said, dear.  Then I decided to do what I want.”

Thor began to laugh heartily, “Norns!  Is it possible that she is more stubborn than you, Loki?”

Murielle began to cut down her attackers with surprising speed.  A combination of her magic and that with which the sword was imbued saw to that.  Loki watched her, and could not shake the feeling that he had seen her fight before.  He recognized the style: she fought like a Vanir!  It was then that Loki recognized the sword in her hands.  “ _It’s not possible!  It’s not her father’s lineage, but if her mother was not entirely mortal…_ ”

The man who had followed her through the portal, had some combat skills of his own but his greatest advantage was the ability to levitate and shield off attempted sorcery-based attacks.  The pace at which Vardun’s minions came at them had slowed to nothing.  All was quiet.  The Avengers re-grouped around Loki, Murielle, and Dr. Strange.

“Agent Romanov, gentlemen.  Murielle told me that you required assistance.  I take it that the being that sent these creatures to their end has not presented himself.”

“No, Dr. Strange, he has not,” said Thor.  “The portal remains open still.  We know not why he waits.”

As Thor said this, a gravelly voice began to laugh from the portal.  “I was waiting for the woman to finally show herself.  I knew that she had not gone far.”

Murielle’s blood ran cold at hearing that voice from her worst nightmares.  She slowly turned to face Vardun.  As she did, she saw Loki’s face.  She had seen him angry, even in the heat of battle.  Murielle had never seen him in a murderous rage; he looked as if he was ready to carve Vardun into pieces and scatter those pieces throughout all Nine Realms.  That man was going to fuck someone up…and Murielle would be glad lend a hand.

Loki was right: seeing Vardun in a setting as normal as nightclub on Earth was quite a shock.  She had seen shades of him in Chicago, but always briefly.  And she always thought she was hallucinating.  He smelled of death and decay, his thin dead lips were flicked with black spittle. 

Vardun spoke again as Murielle’s defiant gaze locked with his.  “You have something that belongs to me.  You belong to me!  You have been hidden from me for some time.  Now, it is time to return to your master.”

“You will have to come through us to claim her, you toothless wretch!” Loki snarled.

Murielle felt the temperature of the air to her right start to drop.  In her peripheral vision, she saw Loki’s hand turn blue and ice crystals began to crust the cuffs of his shirt and jacket.  He looked at her.  His mouth was set in a grim line, and she saw his face turning blue and his eyes turning red.

The ancient sorcerer cackled.  “Oh yes.  The new Sorcerer Supreme and a Jotun sorcerer without his powers!  You have chosen your champions poorly, girl.”  With that, Vardun began to recite the words that had filled Murielle’s nightmares.  This time, she knew what he was saying…and how to resist it.

The words he spoke were to a spell of possession in a dead language; Murielle assumed it was the tongue of Vardun’s long-extinct race.  As she felt the pull of her astral form beginning to loosen from the moorings of her body, she realized that was the purpose of the spell: Vardun could only take over her body and block her memories, he could not _control_ her mind!

Murielle focused, the same way she did with the divining orb.  She focused her energy into the sword, which began to thrum and glow with blue light.  Before Vardun could complete the spell, Murielle did something she had only done once before: she teleported.  Her appearance at Vardun’s side caught him off-guard; she saw her opening and thrust the sword into his side.  Black blood spurted everywhere.  With a cry of pain and fury, Vardun backhanded Murielle and pulled the sword free, tossing it away.  She landed sprawling on the floor.  “Wench!  You shall pay for that!” he roared as he advanced on her.

He was mere paces away when Loki stepped between her and Vardun.  A large spike of ice in his left and a blade made of ice engulfing his right forearm.  He drove the ice spike into Vardun’s shoulder and slashed at him with the blade.  Vardun grunted in pain, falling to one knee.  He rose to his feet and hit Loki with a blast of energy that sent him flying backward into Murielle.  They landed in a heap.

Dr. Strange and the others began to attack Vardun now.  The dark sorcerer hurling blasts of energy at all of them in turn.  The only one that really caused Vardun to look scared was The Hulk.  Even then, Vardun threw a blast large enough to knock Hulk out for a few minutes.  Vardun’s blasts maneuvered them to one side of the club, where he then threw up a wall of energy to prevent them from escaping and separating them from Vardun and his prey.

It took a while for Murielle to regain her bearings.  She had hit her head hard on the floor when she was thrown.  She looked down at Loki, who’s body was laying across her legs.  Scarlet rivulets trickled out of Loki’s ears and nose.  “ _No, no, no, no.  This can’t be happening!_ ” Murielle thought frantically as she tried to wake Loki.  “C’mon, Loki!  Get up.  Please don’t be dead.”

Loki shifted some of his weight off her.  His head rolled to the side against her thigh as he groaned.  His eyes fluttered opened as he said, “Don’t worry, darling.  You won’t be rid of me that easily.”

Vardun approached and gave a sinister chuckle.  “Oh, this is too rich.  The last time we met, Trickster, your woman died in your absence.  Now, you get to watch as this one is taken from you.  I see that she has grown too strong to possess.  I shall enjoy watching Thanos break her for me.”

Vardun took hold of Murielle’s wrist. He began to drag her away, her body slipping out from under Loki’s.  Loki struggled to his feet, coughing and wheezing with pain.  Blood came to his lips, a sure sign of his internal injuries.  Suddenly, he felt a familiar tingling, something that he had not felt it since his banishment.  It was not strong, but it was there: he could feel his magic!

Loki stretched out his hand, calling on Murielle’s sword.  It leapt to his hand, and he charged at the retreating sorcerer.  Murielle, meanwhile, was struggling to free herself of Vardun’s grip.  She allowed her magic to flow freely now; she could feel the darkness of Vardun’s magic, and it made her nauseous as she drew from it as well as her own.  Fighting back the bile that threatened her, Murielle focused everything to her right hand.  The heat from it began to blister her palm.  The dark sorcerer looked down just as Murielle swung her arm to hurl the energy blast at him.  He dropped her arm and clutched the side of his face.

Murielle saw Loki running toward them, his green eyes glowing with hatred.  The same glow as the sword in his hands.  She rolled away, and Loki leapt over her.  He drove the sword into Vardun’s chest.  Murielle heard the sickening crack of Vardun’s sternum and ribs separating as Loki drove the sword into his enemy, up to the hilt.  The green glow of the sword spread across Vardun’s chest.  The sorcerer’s sickly blue skin began to disintegrate in ash and flame.  His red eyes fixed on Loki’s, blood gurgling in his throat as he spoke.  “There is no escape for you.  Either of you.  Thanos is coming.”

Loki, the sword still in his hands, twisted the blade as he grinned like a fiend and leaned closer to Vardun’s face.  “Then let him come,” Loki hissed as he pulled the blade free of Vardun’s torso, cutting upward through his shoulder.  Vardun’s body fell back, the cinders breaking apart as it hit the floor.  Loki walked over to Murielle.  Between the exposure to Vardun’s magic and being dazed from hitting her head on the floor, she was still weak in the knees.

He let the sword clatter to the ground and caught her around the waist, pulling her close. With Vardun’s death, the energy barrier fell, and they ran to check on Loki and Murielle.  Soon, they were surrounded by the others.  Murielle wrapped her arms around Loki, not wanting to let him go.  She felt him wince when she held him tighter.  Looking up at him with concern she said, “You’re hurt.”

Loki smiled weakly, “Yes, well, I think we are all a little battered, darling.”

“No, I mean you’re really hurt,” Murielle said as she reached up and wiped away the blood that had trickle out of his left ear.

Loki kissed her forehead.  “I will be fine.  Shall we go back to the hotel?”

Murielle smiled.  “Of course.”  She looked around the nightclub.  “At least we didn’t do _too_ much damage.  Tony, do you think that they’ll let us back in here tomorrow night?”

Tony laughed, “Well, we did sort of save everyone.  I think that we can come back.”

Murielle made a portal, taking them back to the villa.  As she did so, nobody noticed the shadow that emerged from the pile of ashes that were Vardun’s bodily remains.  It retreated into the night, seeking refuge in the darkness.  It needed to regain its strength and regroup…

Once the Avengers were back at the villa, Tony called Pepper.  It took him awhile to calm her down, assure her that Murielle was fine, and that yes, he would “kick her ass” for leaving Pepper alone in New York.  Before Tony could say anything to Murielle, she had made a portal into Tony’s living room to bring Pepper back to Vegas.  In fact, Tony was still on the phone with Pepper when she walked into the villa.  Thoughts of kicking Murielle’s ass were immediately forgotten.

Thor and Loki were now standing next to Murielle, looking at the sword.  The brothers were stunned at seeing it, having believed that it was lost to the ages.  “Lady Murielle,” Thor asked softly, “where did you find this?”

Murielle explained that it had been kept for safe keeping with the Ancient One.  She explained how she came to learn that the sword would answer to her and how the magic within the sword improved her speed and skill.  “I cannot explain it, but the sword just knows what to do.  My hands, and the rest of me, are just along for the ride.  It even talks to me.”

Dr. Strange quirked an eyebrow at her, “It _talks_ to you?”

“Well, not necessarily with words, but it was giving me shit earlier for having left it for so long.”

Thor looked from Loki to Dr. Strange.  “Well, that answers the question of who her mother’s people were.”

“What do you mean, Thor?” asked the Sorcerer Supreme.

“This sword belonged to Freyr, who like our mother, was Vanir.  Midgardian legends speak of the sword fighting by itself for those wise enough to wield it.  It is truer to say that the sword guides the movements of the one who can understand it.  When Freyr lost his sword, it was believed that it would never be found again. Moncrief did not say from whom Murielle is descended on her mother’s side, but her ability to wield the sword, and the fact that it speaks to her seems proof enough.”

Murielle looked at each of the three men talking.  She didn’t know whether to tell them about her visits to another plane and her talks with Frigga.  After all, Frigga did say that she had been watching over her mother's family for almost a thousand years.  Murielle decided against it for now, since it only seemed to bring more questions than answers.  “ _I don’t need to have an ‘I see dead people’ moment,_ ” she thought.  The Asgardians and Dr. Strange continued to discuss the sword, determining that it should remain in Murielle’s care.

The excitement of the day had caught up with everyone and, after it was certain everyone wasn’t too injured, they all drifted off to their own rooms for the night. Before making his own portal back to Bleeker Street, Dr. Strange turned to Murielle.  “You might want to consider coming back to continue your training.  We could use someone like you.”

Murielle just nodded.  “I will consider it.  Just let me settle down from this latest episode.  Let me know if you can find Moncrief.”

“I certainly will,” the Sorcerer Supreme replied as he stepped through his portal. 

With Strange’s departure, Murielle and Loki were the last two remaining in the living room.  Loki was staring at his hands, trying to focus his magic.  It was still weak, but present.  He had tried using it to heal his injuries, but it was slow to work.  Murielle sat down on the couch next to him.

“Loki, is there something wrong?” Murielle put her hand in his, as she spoke.  It was then that he caught something he had not noticed before.

“Murielle, I can feel your magic,” he looked at her with surprise.  The steady thrum of energy from her fingertips filled his veins.  When he looked at her, she had one eyebrow raised skeptically.  
  
“That’s what’s troubling you?”

“No,” he said with a look that clearly called her a smart ass.  Then he continued, “I was surprised by it; I haven’t been able to feel it before now.  What’s troubling me is that earlier, it seemed that I had some of my powers back.  Now?  It’s so weak, I cannot heal myself.”

Murielle smiled at him.  “I had seen that.  Take it as a sign of progress!  You saved me with your magic, and you can now feel it.  As for healing,” she gave him a wink, “I might be able to help with that.”

Murielle leaned in to him.  As her lips brushed his, her hands on his chest grew warm.  Loki pulled her into a deep kiss, one hand in her hair and the other on her ass.  If touching her hand let him feel her magic, then kissing her allowed him to drink it in.  She straddled his lap as her hands remained on his chest.  Warmth began to spread through Loki’s torso as he felt the soreness of torn tissues vanish and the telltale signs of cracked and broken bones disappeared.  With the dull ache of his battle injuries gone, Loki felt an ache of a different sort.

Murielle had begun to rock her hips, grinding against the hard bulge in his pants.  Loki groaned, and his lips moved down her neck.  He sucked on her neck as he unzipped the front of her body suit, his hands sliding inside to squeeze her breasts.  Murielle moaned into his ear; she captured his earlobe with her teeth and started nibbling.  Loki growled against her neck, “We need to go to your rooms, or else I am taking you right here.”

Murielle gave him a mischievous smile.  “The two of us naked on the couch might be a little awkward in the morning.  Let’s get out of here.”

The woman stood up from the couch so that Loki could stand up, too.  When she turned to make the portal, Loki gave her a healthy smack on the ass.  She let out a surprised cry and whirled around.  Loki grinned lasciviously.  “Do hurry, darling.  I don’t know how much longer I can wait.”

Knowing that he was so eager, only made Murielle more so.  She made the portal as quickly as she could.  Loki stood from the couch.  With a playful smirk on his lips, he held out his hand to Murielle.  She took it, and they walked through it together.


	17. What Happens in Vegas, Ends up on Cable News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT AHEAD!

As soon as they reached Murielle’s suite, Loki captured her mouth with his.  She pushed his jacket off his shoulders and undid his tie.  He finished unzipping the body suit and slid it off her shoulders and past her hips.  As his hands ran over her ass, he felt lace.  He pulled away from her and spun her all the way around.  “Oh, you naughty minx!  You wore those, too!”

Murielle giggled.  “They are my lucky panties.”

With a gleam in his eyes, he replied, “They certainly are, darling.”

Loki pushed her back onto her bed, removing her boots and peeling the body suit off.  She stood back up, quickly unbuttoning his shirt and tugging it free of his pants.  In one motion, he she had him shirtless.  Her hands roamed his chest and back, drifting over battle scars that had faded to faint lines.  Murielle’s hands went to the front of Loki’s pants.  As she unzipped them, his cock sprang free of its fabric prison.  Loki let out a filthy moan in relief.  Murielle’s hand closed around his cock, and she gasped into his lips with surprise at his size.

As Murielle began to slowly stroke his length, Loki’s nimble fingers unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor.  His hands slid to her front to cup her breasts and his mouth captured one of her nipples.  He began to nip and suck at it, teasing it with his tongue and teeth, as he pushed Murielle back onto the bed.  Loki tugged her lace panties free of her legs and flung them across the room.

Murielle was now flush and trembling, her skin was on fire and her nerves tingling.  Loki slowly ran his hand up the inside of her leg and slid a finger inside her folds.  “Mmm, Murielle, you are already so wet for me.  And so hot.”  Murielle bucked her hips into his hand with a wanton moan, trying to get more friction as he grazed her clit with his thumb.  Loki chuckled darkly at her reaction, removing his fingers.  She whimpered as he did, then she heard him moan as he sucked his fingers clean.

“I knew that you would taste even sweeter than your lips,” Loki said in a husky voice before he buried his face between her legs, giving her a single, slow lick and taking her clit between his lips.  Murielle rewarded him with a wordless cry of ecstasy.  His tongue and teeth teased her sensitive, throbbing nub while his fingers thrust into her.  She continued her litany of incoherent cries.  Murielle’s orgasm had her seeing stars as she gushed all over Loki’s hand.  He used his tongue to lap her up.  Her thighs were still quivering when Loki placed a kiss on the inside of each thigh.

He settled between her thighs, sliding his cock into her folds.  “Darling, you are exquisite and the noises you make are amazing.  I can’t wait to hear more.”  He plunged into her as he said this.  Murielle arched her back, her hands twisting in the bed sheets, as she screamed his name.

With another thrust, he said, “That’s it, darling.  I want to hear my name on your lips as you come undone for me.”

Murielle screamed Loki’s name in a long wail as he continued to thrust deeper and deeper.  She was throbbing and clinched around his cock as she came, gushing all over him.  Her orgasm made Loki suck in air between his teeth.  He didn’t expect her to come so tightly around him, as she rolled her hips into his.  Loki was panting into her neck; he felt his orgasm building.  She felt his erection begin to swell as his thrusts became harder and faster.

“Oh, Loki!  I’m coming again!” Murielle cried out as she writhed under him.  She looked in his eyes, dark with lust, as he pounded her.

“Come with me, darling!  Let go!”  His thrusts became erratic as he came inside her.  Murielle climaxed with him, the feeling of his seed spilling into her driving her over the edge.  He kept on thrusting until she came down from her orgasm.  Claiming her lips in a long, languid kiss as he gave her one final thrust before resting his head between her breasts.

They were both gasping for air, her heart was pounding in concert with his.  Murielle’s fingers ran through Loki’s hair, applying pressure to his scalp with her fingertips.  He closed his eyes and moaned with pleasure.  “That feels amazing.”

Murielle giggled softly, “All it takes is a scalp massage to get that out of you?”

He chuckled into her breasts before he bit down hard enough to make Murielle gasp.  He slid up her body until she could feel him harden against her thigh.  Her eyes widen with surprise, “You’re ready again?  So soon?”

Loki gave her a devilish grin.  “I am a god, darling, even with my magic sealed from me.  I recover quickly from physical activity.  All manner of activity.”  He nipped and sucked at her neck and collar bone as he continued to grind against her slick entrance.  Murielle parted her legs even more to accommodate him.  Despite how wet she still was, she gasped when he filled her with his length.  Loki was straining to maintain a slow, deep rhythm.  He knew that she wouldn’t last at the pace that he wanted.

Murielle could sense his dilemma.  With her lips close to his ear, she whispered “Don’t worry about hurting me.  You can go harder.”  That was all that Loki needed to hear.  With that, he pulled all the way out of her, only to fill her completely in one swift move.  Murielle cried out, the pleasure overriding the pain of Loki pistoning into her.  The edges of Murielle’s vision blurred as she came again for him, screaming his name so loud that the neighboring rooms surely heard it.  Loki grit his teeth has he felt her coming, the increased friction and the punishing rhythm he had set caused him to lose control.  He emptied himself as a ragged cry tore loose from his throat.  Once more, they were tangled together and trying to breathe.

It wasn’t until sometime before sunrise that they decided to finally get some sleep.  Murielle curled into Loki’s side, wrapping her leg around his and resting her head on his chest.  Loki’s arms encircled her shoulders as he held her tightly.  His eyes were closed and he was drifting off when he heard Murielle speak softly in the darkness.  “What did he mean about your woman dying?  I didn’t realize that you had been married before.”

Loki began to slowly rub Murielle’s back.  He was grateful that she wasn’t looking at him; the pain was evident in his face.  “I was betrothed.  The woman I was to marry died while Vardun held me captive.”

Murielle curled even tighter into his side, wrapping an arm around his chest.  “I’m so sorry.  I won’t ask anymore.  I’m just glad the bastard’s dead and can’t hurt you anymore,” her voice started trail off.  Loki lay there, listening to her breathing slow.  He closed his eyes, letting her warmth and her breathing lull him into the first peaceful sleep that he had had in years.

* * *

The next morning, Tony woke up and stumbled out into the living area of the Spanish Villa.  Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except the television was on.  The split screens showed multiple cable news outlets all rolling the same footage: it was from Hakkasan’s security cameras and it showed their fight against Vardun.  The part that played and re-played was Loki driving the sword clean through the sorcerer’s chest, then slicing through him.  It then registered in Tony’s mind that a dark skinned, bald head could be seen peeking over the top of the sofa.  Nick Fury rose from his seat to face him.  Tony didn’t even have a chance to wish Fury a good morning, when Fury shouted, “Stark!  What the fuck were you thinking!?!”

* * *

Murielle woke from a dreamless sleep, her head resting on a muscular chest that rose and fell with the steady breath of one in a deep sleep.  A pair of strong, pale arms were wrapped around her.  When Murielle stretched against the length of Loki’s body, his arms reflexively tightened, pulling her closer.  She smiled to herself, “ _Who would’ve thought that the big, bad God of Mischief was a cuddler?_ ”  She pressed herself against him as she placed a gentle, open-mouth kiss on his lips.  Loki’s lips parted for her and Murielle took advantage of it, sliding her tongue between his lips and increasing the pressure of her lips on his, causing him to moan half-asleep.

Loki’s eyes opened slowly, and he looked at her through his impossibly long lashes with a sleepy smile.  “Mmm, I could get used to waking up that way,” he purred as he stretched. 

Murielle giggled softly.  “I will have to remember that,” she said as she kissed him before resting her chin on her folded her hands, which were on his chest, as she stared at his features in the diffused light coming from the windows. 

Noticing her gaze, Loki cocked an eyebrow as he asked, “What are you looking at?”

Murielle grinned.  “What’s wrong?  I can’t admire the handsome god laying in my bed?”

Loki chuckled at this.  “I think that you have more than admiration on your mind.”  He guided one of her hands down to his harden shaft and said, “I know that I do.”

Loki got harder when he saw the look in her eyes and heard her say, “Oh, I plan to show my admiration.”

Murielle’s hand closed around Loki as she began stroking him.  He closed his eyes, letting the sensation roll over him.  Because his eyes were closed, Loki gasped with surprise and pleasure as Murielle straddled him and slid down his rock-hard erection.  She rolled and swirled her hips against him.  Loki’s hands went to Murielle’s breasts, massaging them as she rode out the waves of pleasure.  Grabbing her hips and thrusting upward, Loki continued this steady pace as he felt her orgasm building.  Murielle’s soreness from the previous night gave way to pleasure as Loki swelled inside her.  Murielle tightened and throbbed around him, forcing him to climax with her.  They both cried out with ecstasy as Loki emptied himself into her.  She collapsed on top of him, her skin sensitive to the touch as he slowly dragged his fingertips up her back.  A delicious tremor shook her, as Loki chuckled with the knowledge that he caused of such a reaction.

“Would it be rude of us to spend the day in bed, darling?  I don’t want to share you with the rest of the world today.”  Loki looked up at her imploringly.

She was about to suggest that they plan on doing just that, when Murielle’s phone rang.  It was Tony…and the time on her phone read 10:30AM.  She looked at Loki apologetically as she said, “If I don’t answer, he will march right down here…or send Clint and Natasha to check on me.”

Neither of those options appealed to Loki, so he let Murielle answer her phone, but he wasn’t about to let her leave her place.  He held her hips firmly, forcing her to reach for the phone on the nightstand.  He was still sheathed inside her, and he began to slowly rock his hips against her as she answered the phone.

“He-hello?” Murielle stammered out.

She tried to get off Loki, but he tightened his grip on her hips and began to thrust deeper with a devious grin on his face.  Murielle bit back a wanton cry as she heard Tony on the other end say, “Hey, Murielle.  I need you to get up here as soon as you can.  Our outing at Hakkasan has been plastered all over the news...”

Murielle’s mind was mush as Tony continued to speak.  “ _The news?  Who gives a shit?  I have a very horny space Viking between my legs right now.  And he’s slowly fucking me to insanity…_ ”  Murielle had to put the phone on mute; she had nearly moaned into the speaker before she did.  Tony kept talking, but Murielle’s brain only registered a few words.  Words like “New York” and “protective custody.”  It wasn’t until Loki had made her come that Murielle finally heard Tony shouting into the phone, “Murielle!  Are you listening!?!”

Loki smirked up at her and said, “You had better answer him, darling.  He’ll start to wonder what’s going on here.”

Murielle, still coming down from her orgasm, picked up the phone from where it had fallen.  She fumbled with it but got it off mute before Tony got more annoyed.  “Yeah, yeah, Tony.  I’m still here.  Sorry.”  She was still flush, but shot Loki a pissed off look.  He just chuckled and gave her another thrust that nearly sent her right back into the throes of orgasmic bliss.

Tony’s voice conveyed his suspicion that he was being blown off or that she was only half-listening.  “Well, get your ass up here.  SHIELD is here and wants to talk to all of us.”

She hung up the phone and tossed it back onto the nightstand.  “Well, that was awkward.”

Looking up at her with feigned wide-eyed innocence, Loki replied, “I don’t know what you mean, Murielle.  You were only talking on the phone with Stark.”

Murielle opened her mouth in to reply, but her words caught in her throat when Loki began to thrust harder and faster.  She rolled her hips against him, matching his rhythm and causing her breasts to bounce with the force of his thrusts.  Loki sat up and captured one nipple with his mouth and the other with his hand, alternating between sucking, biting, and pinching.  Murielle’s mind was awash with pleasure, not caring about anything but finding her climax and taking Loki with her.  Her body glistened with a fine sheen of sweat as she finally came, screaming his name at the top of her lungs.  She heard him say her name with a guttural moan below her and felt his fingers dig into her hips as he began to fill her.  Murielle was overflowing.  The mixture of his seed and her own slickness covered the inside of her sides and the front of his hips.  They struggled to catch their breath, still joined together.  Loki pulled her down to him, placing a tender kiss on her forehead and a lingering one on her lips.

They lay there for a while, with only the sounds of their breathing to break the silence of the room.  Loki finally spoke, “It sounds like you will be coming to New York with us.”

Her eyes snapped open as she began to vaguely recall the one-sided conversation that Tony was having with himself.  She hurriedly sat up, her expression a combination of fearful and livid.  Loki tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as he looked at her worriedly.  “What’s wrong, little fox?  Don’t you want to come to New York with me?  You do realize that they won’t let me stay with you in California.”

Murielle looked at him.  The worry and hint of sadness in his face at the thought of her not wanting to be with him was heartbreaking.  She rushed to lean over and kiss him over and over.  “It isn’t that, Loki,” she said between kisses.  “It’s SHIELD.  I don’t trust them.  They are going to lock me up like an animal so that they can ‘study’ me.  When…no, _if_ they’ve decided I’m not a danger to myself or others, they will have me put in their index.  I will be tracked more carefully than if I was a sexual predator.  Goodbye, privacy!  So long, anonymity!”

Placing his hands on her shoulders, Loki’s eyes pierced Murielle’s soul.  “They will not lock you away, Murielle.  I won’t let them!  I daresay that Stark and my brother won’t let them, either.”  Loki then pulled her into a protective embrace, resting his chin on top of her head.

“I won’t let them take you away from me,” he murmured into her hair as he ran his fingers through her long tresses.

His fingers combing through her hair relaxed Murielle.  The tension in her neck and shoulders began to melt away and she rested her head against Loki’s bare chest.  She could feel his steady heartbeat as she rubbed his back and shoulders.  He sounded like he was purring as she applied pressure to ease the knots and tense muscles she found under her fingertips.  Then she heard the grin in his voice when he said, “As for you being a sexual predator, would it help your case if I told them I was not only willing, but that I was the instigator?” 

Murielle who was still resting her head against him, smacked his chest, “That’s not funny.”  Clearly, he didn’t agree because she heard the low rumble of his chuckle vibrate through his chest.  Looking up at him, she said, “We had better get ready.  Otherwise, they will send a search party for us.”

Loki frowned, “Now, that just won’t do.”

She scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up.  Turning to Loki, she said, “Perhaps we’d be quicker about getting ready if we showered together.”

Loki chuckled as he swung his feet to the floor.  “I don’t know about quicker, but I think showering together is a great idea!”  He wrapped his arms around her and walked with her into the bathroom.  He was right, of course.  Showering together was a great idea even though it took them a lot longer to get ready.

Loki, not having any fresh clothes, had a towel wrapped around his waist while Murielle made a portal into his room.  Before stepping through it, he wrapped her in a tight embrace and made her weak in the knees with his kiss.  “I will see you in a few minutes,” he said with a grin as the portal closed behind him.  Murielle just stood there for a few seconds, then started to laugh uncontrollably.  She couldn’t care less what SHIELD thought they could do to her.  She knew that if she couldn’t figure a way out of it, Loki would.


	18. Wheeling & Dealing

Nick Fury was pacing in the living room, his one eye menacing anyone that dared to make eye contact with him.  Everyone was already in the Spanish Villa.  Everyone, that is, except for Loki and Murielle.  Thor, who had emerged from his room sometime after Clint and Natasha’s arrival, was confused as to where Loki had gone.

Tony now started to pace.  “You mean he’s not in your room, Thor?”

“No, Stark.  When I retired for the evening, he was still talking with Lady Murielle.”

Fury’s head exploded.  “God dammit, Stark!  Didn’t I tell you that you were responsible for him?  Now, he could be anywhere!”

Natasha cleared her throat.  “I don’t believe that he is just anywhere, Fury.”

“Nat?  Do you know where Loki went?” asked Steve.

Natasha held Steve in her steady gaze.  “I have reason enough to believe that he is with Murielle.”

Pepper had to smack Tony on the back to keep him from choking on his coffee.  “What?” he sputtered.  “How do you know?”

“Think about it, Tony,” Natasha said, her tone indicating the eye roll that she wanted to give.  “You saw how he’s been the last few days. Last night, he couldn’t stop touching her and flirting with her.  Then he rescued her from being kidnapped.  Come on.  They ended up spending the night together.”

Mount Fury was about to erupt again when they heard a door opening from somewhere within the villa.  A few seconds later, Loki appeared in the living room.  They noted that he was wearing fresh clothes, which meant that Murielle must have ported him into his room.  All eyes were on him as he strolled in, a satisfied smirk on his face, and made his way over to the coffee pot.  No one said a word as he poured himself a cup, grabbed a pastry off the breakfast bar, and sat down next to Thor.  The God of Mischief looked about the room, grinning around his coffee; not a soul dared to say anything.

The elevator chimed, the doors sliding open to reveal Murielle, who was wearing denim cutoffs, a black tank top, and a sheer red kimono top.  She entered the room smiling.  She got herself a cup of coffee and a pastry and sat down next to Loki.  She looked about the room, smiling…until her eyes fell on Nick Fury.  She didn’t quit smiling so much as the warmth of her smile disappeared.

“Well, Director Fury?  Is it still ‘director’?  I thought you were no longer on this side of the grass.  Oh well.  I just can’t keep up with SHIELD’s dead pool these days.”

The vein in Fury’s forehead began to pulsate and a patch of skin below his good eye twitched.  His voice remained impressively level.  “Murielle Bonneau.  I heard that you were back from Asia.  Would you care to explain the events of last night?”

Murielle thoughtfully chewed on a bite of her pastry and gave Loki a sideways glace before she swallowed.  “To which events are you referring, Fury?  It was a busy night.”

The room looked from her to Loki.  The raven-haired Asgardian, still smiling, said nothing.  However, his eyes took on a gleam that Tony and Clint understood perfectly.  The looks on their faces made Thor turn to look at his brother.  Thor, who was incapable of subtly, looked from his brother to the woman seated next to him, then turned as red as the cape he normally wore.

“I am referring to the events at Hakkasan, Ms. Bonneau.  Your…after-hours activities are of no interest to me.  Although,” Fury attempted to intimidate both Murielle and the God of Mischief, “I cannot condone fraternization between a citizen of this planet and an intergalactic war criminal.”

Murielle blinked, then turned to Loki.  “You know?  I never bothered to ask.  Is Asgard in a different galaxy from us?  If it’s not, you are technically an intra-galactic criminal.”

Loki chuckled and looked as if he were about to launch into an impromptu astronomy lesson, when Fury shouted, “We are getting off topic!  I want to know why you were attacked, and why you,” he jabbed a finger at Loki, “suddenly had your powers back.”

With a careless shrug, Murielle responded, “The short answer is that there are beings out there that want to use me and my powers for their own purposes.  Loki only had just enough of his powers back, long enough for him to help me.  How?  I do not know.”

Fury sat down, across from Murielle and Loki.  “That’s the short answer.  What about the long answer?”

Murielle’s smile vanished, and in a warning tone said, “That is a bit too involved for us to get into right now.  Suffice it to say that you already know what I could do five years ago.  This time, I have control over it.”

Fury just looked at her and replied, “Humor me.”

She looked to Tony, who held his hands up and said, “I can only do what I can do, kid.  You and Reindeer Games showing up on the 24-hour news cycle doesn’t help.”

Murielle smirked, “Yeah?  But I was more destructive five years ago.”

Tony countered, “You also weren’t caught on camera.  What cameras you were captured on were destroyed.”

Murielle eyed Tony.  She knew well enough to know that Tony’s security feeds all got routed through his AI.  At the time, it would’ve been Jarvis.  Just because the _cameras_ were wiped out didn’t mean that footage was.  Her gaze shifted from him to Fury.  “ _Fury is holding something over his head_ ,” thought Murielle.  “ _Otherwise, he’d be telling him to go pound sand_.”

Heaving a dramatic sigh, Murielle looked at Loki.  “Now what?”

Loki looked about the room, then back at her.  “You might as well tell them what you can.  Whether you are believed is another story.”  Loki pointedly looked at Fury as he said this.

With that, Murielle told Fury about having the amulet that contains Loki's powers.  Predictably, Fury demanded that she turn it over.

"Just try to take it.  By the way, the box doesn't open.  So, basically, it's an intricately carved doorstop."

"Hand it over, Murielle."

Arms folded, Murielle narrowed her eyes at Fury.  "If you can find it, you can have it.  Until then, tough shit."

This elicited a manly giggle from Loki and snickering from Tony.  She then told him of Navit Antiquities, the traitorous apprentice, their conversation with Moncrief (she left out the part regarding her real father), and then Vardun’s attack.  By the time she had finished, Fury’s hands had formed a steeple, obscuring the lower part of his face.  His eye was trying to bore a hole through Murielle’s skull.

When Fury did speak, it was so predictable that Murielle could’ve written a script for him.  “You must understand that we can’t allow beings like you to roam freely and battle each other in public places.  I have a bad enough time keeping these guys in line,” he said with a sweeping gesture around the room.

Murielle sneered at him.  “That sounds like a personal problem, Fury.”

Unfazed, Fury continued.  “SHIELD is prepared to offer you protective custody at our facility in upstate New York until we can figure out how to deal with this new threat.”

With a derisive snort, she replied, “Oh yeah.  Because we all know that SHIELD’s idea of ‘protective custody’ is half a step above incarceration.  Thanks for the offer, but I’m going to have to pass.”

Fury’s face was set in stone.  “You know we can compel you to accept our offer.”

Murielle’s eyes began to turn bluish gray.  Everyone in the room began to squirm from the energy whipped up by her anger.  The plates and coffee mugs on the table in front of her began to levitate a bit.  She leaned forward and in a low, menacing voice said, “Please, do try.”

“Fury, threatening her won’t get us anywhere,” said Steve.  He turned to her, “Murielle, what terms would you be willing to accept?  This is only temporary, and you wouldn’t be forced into confinement or anything.”

Murielle turned her gaze to Steve.  She slowly relaxed enough to stop levitating things and calm the room a bit.  Her eyes were still gray, though.  She replied, “I will not be held at a SHIELD facility.  I don’t care how comfortable or state-of-the-art it is.  I’m not going to be turned into a lab rat.  If I go, prefer to stay at Stark Tower.  If Tony's fine with it, that is.”

Fury looked at Tony.  “Is that okay with you?”

Tony’s face lit up, “I’d rather have her at my place than SHIELD’s.  She the bratty younger sister I never had growing up, so it’ll be fun to have her around.”

Steve was glad that they were getting somewhere.  “Alright.  What else?”  The fact that Murielle's eyes had softened to their usual sapphire blue put everyone at ease.

“I will not be confined to the building, and I won’t wear a tracker.”  Murielle appeared to be done, but she then added, “Oh, and Fury?  No tails.  I know when I’m being watched or followed, and I will do my level best to fuck with anyone that spies on me.”

Fury’s face was expressionless.  “Is that it?”

“Not yet,” she said flatly.  “I will not be entered into The Index.  Once my time in…what are we calling it?  Oh yeah, ‘protective custody’ is done, I am free as a bird, and my association with SHIELD will be concluded.  No strings attached.”

Murielle paused, then went for it.  “I have one more request: Loki gets to come with me.  He has no reason to harm me and every reason to protect me.  If anyone's going to have my back in this, it'll be him.”

Up to this point, Fury didn’t see Murielle’s requests as insurmountable.  It was not as air-tight as her being in a bunker 300 feet below ground surface, but he knew that she wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her freedom or the safety of her friends.  This last request, though, was beyond the pale.  Fury stood up and loomed over the woman, “I cannot agree to that.”

Murielle shot up from her seat, her face inches from Fury’s.  “I will have my way, Fury, with or without your approval.”

Fury glared down at her, “What, exactly, does that mean?”

Murielle smiled enigmatically.  “I have my ways of getting things done.  My methods may be unconventional, but there’s no denying the results.  You will be hard pressed to stop me.  I only mentioned my conditions as a courtesy; I really don’t need anyone’s permission.”

Everyone else in the room watched as this all played out.  A few eyes had turned to Loki, who was smiling as he watched Murielle negotiate with this human who, in more ways than one, reminded him of the All-Father. Loki was pleasantly surprised to see that she would openly defy the powers that be on his behalf.  “ _I would pay vast sums of any realm’s currency to see a meeting between her and Odin_ ,” thought Loki with amusement.  It had been some time since anyone had championed his cause.  Even then, it was almost always with some ulterior motive.

Thor interrupted Loki’s musings.  “Fury, if it helps Lady Murielle’s case, I will vouch for Loki while he is at Stark Tower.  I will even remain on Midgard for as long as it takes to for this threat to pass or until Loki’s sentence has been completed.”

Murielle turned to look at the God of Thunder, then looked at Loki.  Loki’s expression was unreadable.  He was clearly feeling something out of the usual rotation of angry, annoyed, or mischievous; it obviously made him uncomfortable. She honestly had no idea why she was even having this conversation, but then she remembered the look that Loki gave her when he thought that she wouldn’t agree to going to New York.  If ever a man could look like a kicked puppy, it was Loki (Tony now came in second place).  “ _It probably comes from years of practical experience_ ,” she thought.  Murielle shook her head; she still didn't know whether it was an act or if he really was concerned that she wouldn't come with him.  Right now, she didn't have time to dwell on it.

Murielle turned her attention to Nick Fury.  She could see that he was still pissed, but he was thinking.  He was considering his options and wondering if it was more important to save face and the appearance of control, or if he should cut his losses and relent.  Having Thor back her up gave Fury a little wiggle room to do both.  Fury finally said, “Alright.  Loki may stay with you, provided the following: 1) you resume your training with Dr. Strange, 2) you agree to help SHIELD combat this and any other hoodoo/voodoo threats that come our way while you're with us, and 3) when Thor is gone, Loki must come to the SHIELD facility.  Of course, you are welcome to join him there in those instances.”

Murielle really hated the idea of being anywhere near that facility.  She knew it inside out, having helped with the preliminary designs, but that didn’t engender any warm feelings toward it or its occupants.  Still, if Thor promised to stick around…

Loki spoke up, “Let’s define what you mean by ‘when Thor is gone,’ shall we?”  Murielle knew Fury well enough to know that he wasn’t above playing a game of semantics.  The look in his eye confirmed that he had been hoping somebody would slip.  “ _Not today, pal_ ,” she thought as she hid her mouth and pretended to cough to stifle her laughter.  Fury glared at Loki, then her, saying nothing for a while.

“I mean for a period greater than 24 hours,” came Fury’s answer.

Murielle shook her head.  “That's unreasonable and a _de facto_ sentence to confinement at the facility.  If Thor is conducting Avenger business, it’s feasible that he will be gone for days, even weeks at a stretch.  No.  I think that if he’s to be gone for more than seven consecutive days, then we come to the facility.”

Fury raised his voice in frustration.  “It’s not like they book travel and have an itinerary, Murielle!  We sometimes have no way of knowing exactly how long the team will be gone.”

Murielle shrugged, “That’s not our problem.”

“Oh c’mon, Fury!  It’s not like the big guy can’t fly himself back if there’s an issue,” said Tony.

“Thank you, Stark.  I’m glad to see that not everyone is beyond reason,” said Loki.

Fury heaved a sigh.  He was getting too old for this shit.  “Will you accept coming to the facility if the team is gone for more than three days?  Those times that they are gone and you are not at the facility, will you agree to check in with SHIELD until Thor returns?”

Murielle mulled it over.  She would rather have more days and no check-in requirement, but she decided to throw Fury a bone.  It did her no good to deal with him in a constant state of agitation, as much fun as it could be.  She looked at Loki, “What do you think?  Are those agreeable terms?”

Loki responded, “Under the circumstances, I think that those are the most agreeable to all parties involved.”

Murielle turned to back to Fury with a smile and stuck her hand out.  “If you throw in actual living quarters at the facility for my new partner-in-crime, we have a deal.”

Fury shook her hand.  “Deal.  You had better hold up your end and keep an eye on him.”

Murielle’s grin got bigger.  “Fury, I have never backed out of an honest deal.  I think that you need to be more concerned about your people keeping up their end.”

Tony, watching the whole spectacle, swelled up with pride.  “And _that_ , ladies and gentlemen, is why I have this woman on my payroll!  Though, I do have to question her taste in men…and her sanity.”

* * *

Once Fury left the suite, all eyes were on Loki and Murielle.  Steve cleared his throat, trying to avoid eye contact.  “So…I guess you two are a couple?  That’s, uh, kind of fast.  Isn’t it?”

The corners of Loki’s mouth angled upward, his seemingly ever-present smirk starting to materialize.  “Not all things move at a glacial pace, Captain Rogers.  Although I am over a thousand years old, I prefer to not measure things in geologic time.”

It struck Murielle like a ton of bricks.  “ _Holy fucking shit!  Did he just cop to us being an item?  I mean, I'm good with that, but he just seems more like the ‘friends with benefits’ type.  This is going to be an interesting one to tell the family.  ‘Hey, guys!  I just started dating the God of Mischief and Chaos.  So, what’s new with you?’  Double shit!  What AM I going to tell them about all of this?_ ”

Clint eyed Murielle warily.  “Why didn’t you tell Fury everything about what Moncrief said?”

“This isn’t an episode of _Maury_ , Clint. Until I can figure out who, or at least what, my real father is, I would prefer to not share anything beyond this room.”

“Don’t you think that plays into why the Smurfy Sith Lord wanted you?” asked Tony.

Loki spoke up, “Of course it does, Stark.  With Vardun dead, it doesn’t matter much, does it?”

Murielle couldn't shake the feeling that they had not seen the last of Vardun.  The darkness at the edge of her consciousness had not completely gone away when Loki killed the dark sorcerer.  It was weakened, but still there, waiting for its chance to strike again.

* * *

The shade glided in the shadows.  Sunlight would not destroy destroy him entirely, but it would weaken him.  Vardun needed all the strength that it could muster, until it could find another host body.  The Mad Titan had resurrected its original form, but the Trickster and his whore had destroyed it!  He needed to find a host more suited to his purposes.  A body that was younger and stronger.  The form he had adopted when he first encountered the woman had been such a host.  Unfortunately, the body had laid in stasis for so long and was too far away to be feasible at this time.

The shadow amongst shadows slid across the sidewalk and through the door of a dusty desert watering hole, occupied by bikers and the occasional long-haul trucker.  He watched the beings that came and went from this establishment.  His host had to be one that would embrace the darkness and allow him to merge his consciousness with it.  At his full strength, Vardun could occupy an unwilling host with the proper motivations.  In the woman's case, her fear allowed him to control her.  However, the woman's training made her stronger and less pliable.  She and that Jotun runt had nearly finished him.  That Loki could still access his powers was a problem to be solved later.  For now, Vardun watched and waited.

He didn’t have to wait long, once night fell.  A man, resembling an Asgardian Beserker, entered.  He was heavily bearded, and his long black hair was flecked with gray.  This imposing specimen was clad head to toe in black leather, his entire right arm covered in tattoos.  Whether the man knew it, his tattoos were of occult figures and symbols that beckoned dark energy to him.  The patrons of this dive gave him wide berth as he made his way to the bar.  The man positively reeked of darkness and death.  Vardun found him more than adequate.  This mountainous man took his beverage to a dark corner.  It was there that Vardun occupied his new body.  The shade slipped along the floor, stretching itself until it could envelop the man seated on his own.  The man closed his eyes, only to have them reopen and glowing red.


	19. The Calm Before the Storm

Murielle was given a chance to return to California and gather the things she wanted to take with her to New York.  It’s not as if she couldn’t port her way back, but she wanted to make a show of complying with the spirit of her agreement with Fury, if not the letter of it.  The whole team went with her and helped her pack her office, then it was off to her family’s ranch.  Murielle’s truck was still parked at the hangar, and her siblings were awaiting their arrival.  When Murielle had called them to say she was coming with the Avengers, Luke thought she was pulling an elaborate prank.  When he saw the quinjet landing, however, Luke new that his eldest sister wasn’t messing around.

As was typical for any time the Bonneau siblings got together, there were lots of hugs, kisses, and talking over each other.  When introductions were made and things calmed down a bit, Murielle said “Thanks for coming to meet us up here, you guys.”

“Sure thing, sis.  It’s not every day that we have celebrities here to visit,” said Luke with big grin on his face.  His sons, Andy and George, had been dying to see Tony, since they knew their Auntie Murielle’s boss was Iron Man.  Both boys, like their auntie and their father, loved to tinker and build stuff.  They even had their own corner of the farm shop, and were only eleven and nine years old!

Pepper thought it was hilarious that the two boys wanted to do nothing more than to talk Tony’s ear off.  So, did Murielle.  Tony looked over at the two women and mouthed, “I am going to get you for this!” before being sandwiched in the middle seat of Kate’s SUV between the little motor mouths.

“Are you sure that it’s such a good idea, letting those two impressionable lads spend time with Tony?” asked the velvety voice to Murielle’s right.

Murielle turned and grinned up at Loki, who was looking down at her with amusement.  She replied, “I think it’ll be good for Tony.”

Loki chuckled darkly, to which Murielle responded, “Don’t laugh.  I originally wanted to sic them on you!”

His chuckle turned into outright laughter as he threw his head back.  “Now, don’t make _me_ question your sanity, darling.  You would’ve most likely given me two minions to do my bidding.”

Murielle thought about it.  “You’re right.  You haven’t spent time with my brother yet, but his kids are chips off the old block.  I may have the smart mouth in the family, but my brother’s the one who goes around causing trouble.”

“But it is such a lovely mouth,” said Loki as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in to a deep kiss.  Being around her and trying not to engage in anything overtly physical had been excruciating!  They spent all morning packing up her belongings in Los Angeles, under the watchful eyes of their self-appointed chaperones.  Loki felt like he was engaged in some elaborate courting ritual, where the woman is not permitted to be in the presence of her suitor without at least three members of her family.

As far as meeting the family went, Loki thought that it went well.  It was obvious that they were all siblings.  Murielle’s brother was a bit of a shock, being that he was a foot taller than Murielle and almost the same build as Thor.  If Loki had not known that Murielle’s mother was descended from some unknown Vanir, he would not have known what to make of it.  Luke, obviously protective of his sister, had met Loki with a firm handshake and a genial smile.  Her sisters were all charming smiles toward him and good-natured teasing toward Murielle.  Murielle’s brother by marriage, Mark, was slightly smaller than Capt. Rogers and just as protective of Murielle as Luke.  In other words, Loki liked her family.

Thankfully, Murielle had suggested that she and Loki handle her personal items at her home that evening.  Everyone else would be staying with her brother’s family or with her sisters. Her siblings agreed to entertain the rest of the group and bring them to her house the next morning.  She didn’t really need Loki’s help to pack, but she kept that to herself.  The look in her eye when she was making these arrangements on the phone told Loki that she knew exactly what she was doing.  “ _My clever little fox continues to surprise me_ ,” Loki thought as he watched her behind the wheel of her truck.

Loki recognized this area was near where he had landed when he was cast out of Asgard, or at least it was nearby.  Seeing this place in broad daylight, he had to admit that it was beautiful.  As they drove, Murielle pointed out the spot where the amulet had landed.  The ground was still scorched but time and exposure had caused most of the rune marks to fade.  Loki noted how close it the landing site was to Murielle’s house.  “ _It couldn’t be coincidence, could it?_ ”

He looked at the woman driving the vehicle that bounced along the dusty dirt road.  Loki was still pondering the strange turn of events in the last month.  Murielle could feel him looking at her, so she turned and smiled at him.  _Would she still smile at me if she knew what I was?  What I have done?_   The bullet points on the long list included patricide, attempted genocide, and a full-scale invasion of her home world.  He could only chalk one of those up to Thanos’ “persuasion” and the influence of the scepter.  Loki shove these thoughts aside, opting instead to simply enjoy this brief respite.  They approached a house surrounded by several outbuildings, one of which Loki recognized as stables.

“You have horses?” he asked.

Murielle grinned back at him.  “Yes, we still do things the old-fashioned way here.  It’s easier to gather cattle in the hills on horseback.”

“Who taught you to ride?”

“My father taught me when I was four.  My first horse was an old ranch horse named Reddy.”

“Too bad we won’t be here long.  I haven’t ridden in a very long time,” Loki said wistfully.

Murielle said with a wink, “I think we can arrange a visit.  Off the books, of course.”

“Naturally,” Loki replied with a grin.

When they pulled up to the house, the sun was setting and someone had turned on the twinkle lights wrapped around the trunks of the oak trees in the back yard.  Strings of lights were suspended between the trees and the roof covering part of the patio and the fire pit was going.  Everyone was seated at tables or around the fire, drinking and talking while Luke and Mark barbecued.

Murielle’s nephews were (still) talking to Tony.  Tony, however, seemed to enjoy the conversation with the boys.  Murielle, as she passed Pepper, leaned over and said, “Is possible that Tony Stark may want a little human of his own?”

Pepper blushed furiously.  “Shut up, Murielle,” was her only reply.

Loki was bemused by this exchange.  “Well done, darling.”

Murielle shrugged.  “I only tease the people I love.  The day I quit teasing someone is the day that they need to start worrying about what they have done to piss me off.”

Loki laughed and threw his arm around her shoulders, placing a kiss on her forehead as they went to join the others.

* * *

The Gatekeeper of Asgard could see all.  Trillions of souls across Nine Realms, he could see them all or could focus on individuals.  In this moment, he was focused on one.

“How does he fare?”

“He seems to fare well in his circumstances, My Lord,” the deep voice rumbled.

“Is his brother with him?”

“He is.  He has also found _her_.”

The All-Father’s silence caused Heimdall to look away from the sight of Loki and the woman.  It appeared that Odin was deep in thought.  He blinked twice, as if waking from a daydream.  “This woman.  She is the same one that you have watched before?”

“Yes.  Her Majesty came to me often, seeking information on her deeds and whereabouts.  She is strong and grows stronger still,” Heimdall paused.  “She now wields Freyr’s sword, My Lord.”

At this, Odin’s head snapped up as he faced the Gatekeeper.  “Does she, indeed?”

The All-Father’s gaze turned toward the stars.  Heimdall wondered what he was gazing at, and if he could see the scene that had unfolded before him as he turned his gaze back toward the fallen prince.  The rage, and the pain, were still there.  However, Heimdall began to see the something of Loki’s former self.  This woman, who Heimdall had watched before, seemed to have some influence over Loki.

The Gatekeeper’s gaze turned toward the woman.  She, herself, was not entirely without darkness.  The deeds of her past hung over her, as did a curse.  The curse had weakened, but she fought its influence her every waking moment.

“My Lord, she possesses the vessel that seals Loki’s magic from him.”

“Is it safe with her?”

Heimdall chuckled.  “Yes, it is.  Loki calls her his little fox with good reason.  She is also not afraid to stand up to him.”

Odin looked at him with more than a hint of doubt, “What have you seen that leads you to believe this?”

The Gatekeeper continued to watch his charges as he said, “My Lord may be pleased to know that she slipped his grasp and hit him in the head with a shoe when he tried to take the amulet from her.  She has since hidden it away.”

An odd sound came from where the All-Father.  He was laughing to himself, and it was evident that he was unaccustomed to making that sound these days. Odin shook his white head.  “Norns only know what sort of trouble she would cause if she knew how to use Loki’s power for herself.”

Whether she knew it or not, the woman had unlocked that power before.  _She_ had not used it, but she had allowed Loki to use his magic.  It passed through her, as electricity through a conduit.  The All-Father turned to leave the Observatory.  “Keep watch over them, Heimdall.  If the Queen’s visions were correct, they will both need to survive.”

* * *

“What are you thinking about?  You look like your brain is about to spin a bearing,” Murielle said with a smile.  They were driving to her house, after having dinner with her family and the Avengers.  Even in the darkness, Murielle could see that Loki was staring at her intently.

Loki smiled back at her.  “I am thinking about when I have my powers back, little fox.  Then, you might not be smiling or so willing to ‘roll with it,’ as you Midgardians say.”

“Why?  Are you planning to turn me into a newt?”

Loki’s laughter filled the cab of the truck.  He had tears form at the corners of his eyes, which he wiped away as he said, “Murielle, darling, I can think of any number of things that I would do to you and for you with my magic.  Turning you into a small amphibian is not one of them.”

“Oh, really?” said Murielle suggestively.  “What sort of things would you do to me?”

He was grateful that they had pulled into the driveway at the house.  Her tone and the question called to mind all manner of things that went straight to his loins.  He was out of the truck and at her door just as she was stepping out on to the running board.  Loki’s mouth captured hers as he grabbed her and lifted her out of the vehicle.  He nudged the truck’s door shut with his foot as he carried her down the walkway, past the flower beds overflowing with lavender and brightly colored blooms of daylilies and bougainvillea.

He set Murielle down on her feet long enough for her to unlock the door.  As soon as it was opened, Loki scooped her up and kicked the door shut behind him.  Loki paused in nibbling at Murielle’s ear lobe to ask in a husky whisper, “Where is your room?”

Murielle was dazed, but regained enough sense to breathe out, “End of the hall,” as she pointed to the archway on the other side of the living room to their left.  Loki cleared the room in long strides, carrying her the entire way.  He threw Murielle on the bed, where she landed with a bounce.

As they frantically undressed each other, Loki growled into her neck, “The first thing that I’d do, is make our clothes vanish.”  His lips found the tender skin below her ear.  The sensation of his lips and breath on her neck sent a shiver through Murielle and made goosebumps break out all over.  He nibbled and sucked his way from her neck to her breasts, paying attention to everything but her erect nipples.

He began to lightly trace around them with his fingertips as he continued to mark her delicate skin.  “Feeling your magic as I touch you is intoxicating.  Once I have my own, I plan on returning the favor, darling.”

Murielle gasped as she arched her back to meet his touch.  “Are you sure that you’re not doing that right now?”

Loki continued with a maddeningly light touch, making Murielle quiver beneath him.  As she tried to wrap her legs around him, Loki’s seductive laughter shot through her as he pressed himself against her and used his weight to keep her from moving.  He could feel the moist heat radiating from her core, the heady scent of her enticing him to plunge inside her.  Still, he continued to let is fingers graze over her while his lips and teeth blazed trails over her skin in an agonizingly slow pace.

Murielle couldn’t take it anymore.  She needed him…NOW!

She continued to writhe as her voice came out as a breathless moan, “Loki!  Loki, please!”

His eyes lit up as his gaze met hers.  “Please?  I thought that you weren’t the begging type,” he crooned as he continued to torment her with his slow, barely-there touch.  Loki’s hand was now gently drifting over the outside of her folds, his fingers teasing even more keening and tremors from her.

“I’m begging you now.  I need you inside me.  Please!”

Murielle’s eyes were dark with lust and need.  That look combined with his own straining erection almost made Loki lose control.  Almost.  Instead, he slid one finger inside Murielle’s silken folds.  As he began to pump his finger inside her, Loki heard and felt how wet she already was.  Murielle’s panting breath that mingled with her moans, escalated to full-throated cries as Loki plunged another finger inside her.  He felt her muscles convulse around his fingers and slowly withdrew them, as she whimpered in frustration at not being allowed to come against his hand.

Without warning, Loki wrapped Murielle’s legs around his waist, lifting her by the back of her thighs; he thrust into her as deeply as he could.  Loki’s hips snapped into hers, her cries now matching the rhythm of his thrusts.  Murielle’s orgasm slammed into her; if Loki had not been on top of her, she would be thrashing wildly.  He began to rut into her with abandon, driven by his own need to come and his need to make her fly apart again.

Murielle’s nails raked across his back as she tightened and throbbed around him.  Loki continued to thrust savagely.  He heard a sound then felt the bed shift below him; he smirked to himself knowing what had happened.  Murielle, on the other hand, was coming undone just for him.  She screamed his name as she clinched around him, her heels digging into his ass and urging him deeper.  Loki came with a roar, stretching out forever and making him forget everything but the woman who was screaming his name.  She was still in the throes of her own climax when Loki bit down on the tender skin of her neck.  Murielle cried out, the pain cutting through the bliss she was feeling and becoming pleasure of its own.  Loki smirked down at her, pleased with the marks that he left on her neck and breasts.

Loki’s fingers pressed into the marks on her breasts.  Murielle hissed in response but looked up with a smirk of her own.  Her hands ran up his chest and shoulders, her thumb pressing into a spot on his shoulder.  Loki flinched slightly, feeling the bruise that she had left on him.  He grinned at her and caught her lower lip in his teeth.  The moan he got in response made his cock stir again.

As they lay there, Murielle noticed that something was a bit…off.  She sat up a bit, then started to laugh.  Loki looked at her inquisitively.  “I have heard the phrase ‘bed-breaking sex,’ but I never took it literally!” she said between peals of laughter.  Loki looked toward the foot of the bed and saw that the mattress was now sloping down and away from the headboard.  The headboard itself was out of plumb, leaning slightly away from the wall.

“I am sorry, darling.  It simply could not be helped,” Loki bragged by way of apology.

“I need to get a sturdier bed frame…or build one.”

“Oh, yes.  I can just see it now.  You, working in Stark’s machine shop, building a bed frame and having to explain why you were using the metal he uses to build his suits.”

Murielle giggled, “That’s a stroke of genius, on your part.  We know that he’s not skimping out and buying inferior materials for the suits.”

As their laughter died down, Loki could see that Murielle was deep in thought.  She was now lying on her stomach, propped up on her elbows.  Loki’s hand stroked the smooth skin of her back.  “You’re frowning, little fox, which means you’re thinking.”

She quietly asked, “Are you going to leave once you have your powers back?”

The look on her face made Loki question everything that he had been thinking and planning since his banishment.  He knew that he couldn’t stay on Midgard, if for no other reason than that he was a sitting duck here.  He wanted, no, _needed_ her to understand that if he left it was for her safety.  This warred with his desire for companionship.  Loki still did not understand the hold that this woman had on him.  He had taken lovers of all sorts, but she was a heady combination of inhuman ability and human frailty.  He simply did not want to let her go.

Loki looked into her clear blue eyes.  She was searching for his answer in his face, apparently expecting an answer that she would not like.  He stroked her cheek, as the words fell from his mouth of their own volition.  “If I did, would you come with me?”

Murielle blinked with surprise.  “I didn’t know that was an option.  Where would we go?”

Loki smiled at her, continuing to let his hand drift languidly over her back and shoulders.  “Anywhere we wanted.  I could take you anywhere you wanted to see for yourself.  Perhaps you would like to see Vanaheim.  It is very beautiful.  In many ways, more beautiful than Asgard.”

Murielle was shocked that Loki would want her to go with him.  Even more shocking was that she would!  It seemed so sudden and cliché.  And yet, it made perfect sense to her.  She could not help but think of the messages that she had from Frigga and the Ancient One.  There was also the niggling thought that she and Loki were not completely out of the woods with the dark sorcerer.  She pressed her lips to his then nestling her head into his shoulder, Murielle said, “We still have time to decide.  Right now, I just want to lay right here.”

Loki wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.  Murielle’s hair tickled his nose as he breathed in the scent of lavender and rosemary that always clung to her. His mind was abuzz now with the possibility of having her join him.  “ _She didn’t say ‘no.’  She said, ‘_ we _still have time to decide.’  Should I really take her?  Would she be able to follow me?_ ”  She was already asleep when Loki finally closed his own eyes, seeking out rest.  There would be time enough to work out the details.  Right now, he was content to sleep with the woman in his arms.


	20. Waking Inner Demons

He dreamt of a time long ago, before he ever knew he was not the son of Odin and Frigga.  Indeed, before he had ever begun to feel the gnawing jealousy of his brother or the sting of rejection by those he once called his family and friends.  He was a still a child, on the verge of adolescence. 

Loki always marveled at his mother’s gift of foresight.  It was a gift he wished to hone for his own use.  He had entered his mother’s chambers, the main room darkened, except for the warm glow of embers in a fire pit that sat in the middle of the room.  His mother’s gaze appeared unfocused as she watched the smoke from the pit curl into the air before her.

“Mother?  What are you doing?” Loki always wanted to learn more about his mother’s magic.  He had already surpassed anyone’s expectations in that regard.  His quest for knowledge was limitless, even at such a tender age.  It was the pursuit of knowledge for knowledge’s sake.

“I am staring into the smoke, my son.  It helps me to see visions of possible futures,” Frigga said as she continued to gaze into the veil of smoke between her and her younger son.

“How do you know which one is the real future?”  Loki now tried to see into the smoke, but only saw the particles of ash carried on the current of air generated by the hotter air encountering the cooler air of the room.

His mother smiled her knowing smile, “Loki, not even the wisest seer can guarantee the future.  We see things that may or may not come to pass.  All things are affected by even the smallest decision.  The future is fluid and ever-changing.”

“Do you see your future?”

“Oh no, son.  You must never peer into your own future.  It would drive you mad, for you would always seek to alter it, never making choices for their own sake.”

“You mean that you have never seen yours?”

“No, I have not.  I have had things foretold to me, but always by another.  Even then, it is only one of the futures that is possible in that moment.”

“Whose future do you see, then?” asked Loki as he sat on a cushion that he pulled closer to his mother.

“Right now?  I see yours and your brother’s.  You both are fated to travel beyond this realm for some time, my son.  It is there that you, Loki, will you will come to find that which you treasure most.”

“Which realm, Mother?  And when?”

She laughed softly.  “You will know it when it is time for you to know.  For now, you must patient.  Focus on your lessons, practice your skills, and grow up to be the best man that you can be.”

The scene before him faded, becoming instead the bleak emptiness of Vardun’s prison.  He was once more in that miserable place, wearing his armor which had been marred with blood and the grime of battle.  Rather than torturing Loki to bend his will, Vardun simply sought to break the Asgardian prince before sending him back to his father as a shell of his former self.

“So, princeling, why did you come to the aid of Nornheim?  Surely, there is some reason why it is you and not the Crown Prince, that brings the might of Asgard?”  One of Vardun’s clammy hands clamped to the side of Loki’s face, his talon-like nails digging into the flesh of Loki’s cheek and scalp.  They had fought a battle of wills and sorcery for hours, Vardun gaining the upper hand.  Now, he was pulling thoughts from Loki’s mind.

The gravelly voice cackled, “Ah!  That is why you come!  You had to sworn your aid to her father.  Trying to prove yourself worthy of her?  Do you even know what you are, boy?  You will bring about the destruction of all!”

Just as Vardun had pulled thoughts from Loki’s mind, he began to replace them with images and thoughts of his own devising. Loki saw the passage of centuries compressed to the flash of an instant; the events were all a blur that crescendo to Asgard and the rest of the Nine Realms consumed by fire and darkness.  Everything destroyed, erased from existence as if it had never been.  The next image the dark sorcerer showed him made Loki’s heart drop to his feet.  Sigyn, his beautiful Sigyn, lay lifeless in his arms.

It would not happen.  Loki wouldn’t let it!  He mustered all his strength, even to the point of tearing himself apart, and attacked Vardun.  The piercing screams of Loki’s captor filled his ears as he body was destroyed, leaving nothing but a red mist of disintegrated flesh and fluids.  The walls of the prison dimension in which he was held weaken.  Loki found a tear in the fabric of space and time.  He lunged for it before the dimension collapsed around him, landing hard on his left shoulder in the middle of the empty battlefield.

Rather than his memories of escaping Vardun’s prison and his return home to Asgard, Loki’s dream became more surreal.  His dream now became Sigyn’s funeral; she had wasted away in her grief, believing that Loki had died in battle.  This time, as he gazed upon the remains of his betrothed under the veil that covered her, the face morphed into Murielle’s.  Loki recoiled in horror when Murielle sat up from the pyre and gazed at him with black, pupil-less eyes.  Her voice was not just hers; it was hers, Sigyn’s, and Frigga’s, speaking in unison.  “Laufeyson, you will bring about the ruin of all.  You hasten us to our doom.  Thanos is coming and will have what is his!” 

Loki woke with a start.  His heart was racing in his chest.  Murielle, who was curled against him, was shivering from cold.  Loki had, in his distress, begun to take on his Jotun form.  She murmured in her sleep, “Loki, honey, it’s so cold.”

Willing himself to calm down, the blue tint of his skin gave way to his normal coloring.  “Hush now, darling.  Go back to sleep.  It’s alright.”

She sighed contentedly, snuggling closer to him and pressing her body to his.  Loki tucked the blankets around her back and wrapped his arms around her.  Loki could not go back to sleep after that.  He could make out the details of Murielle’s face in the gray early morning light that diffused through the curtains of the windows that faced east.  The faint light shone on her round cheeks and smooth brow, the glow of her skin making her appear angelic.  Her dark hair was a riot of soft waves across her pillow.  Her warm breath puffed against his cool skin as she slept peacefully, unaware of his nightmares.  “ _She really does not know what she bargains for by staying with me.  I already have enough innocent blood on my hands.  I will not add hers to it._ ”

* * *

When Murielle woke from her sleep a few hours later, Loki was already awake.  She could see, even without asking him, that he was deep in thought.  Judging by the look on his face, his thoughts were not pleasant.  She vaguely remembered the temperature of the room dropping at some point, but he had lulled her back to sleep.  Scooting closer to him, Murielle said, “Good morning.  What’s got you awake so early?”

Loki, moved away from her touch and sat up on the edge of the bed.  Confused, Murielle sat up and held the blankets around her.  She brought herself up to her knees and crawled toward him, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and pressed herself against his back, resting her forehead against his shoulders.  Loki stiffened at this contact, seeming to fight with himself over whether he should relax or flee her touch.  He just sat there, still as a statue.  Suddenly, Loki shot up to his feet.  Murielle almost fell off the bed, not expect him to move so quickly.  She caught herself from falling.

She looked up at Loki, who was now standing several paces away from her.  Loki’s face was a portrait of ire and impatience.  Murielle was now annoyed in her own right.  “Hey!  What’s this all about?”

“This has been a mistake,” Loki said with cold detachment as he pulled on his jeans.

Murielle just looked at him.  When she found her tongue, she asked, “What do you mean, Loki?”

“I mean this,” he angrily gestured between the two of them.  “You may not be entirely mortal, but you are mortal enough.  You are weak.  You let your feelings control you.  Base sentimentality has no place in my plans and is not something that I share with you.”

He could see the anger rising within her and hear it creeping into her voice.  “Really now?  You certainly had no problem with it last night, or the nights before.  _You_ were the one that came on to _me_ , remember?  _You_ were the one who started all this!”

Loki scoffed at her.  “You did not put up much of a fight.  You practically fell into my arms at the slightest suggestion.  Do you not see what I am willing to do to keep you, and the amulet, close at hand?  There are no lengths to which I will not go, no depths to which I will not stoop.”  He added with a sneer, “That includes bedding a mortal.”

The French doors leading to the veranda off the master bedroom blew open and a violent, driving wind caused dust and leaves to blow into the room and skitter across the hardwood floor.  The sturdy oak trees around the house began to creak and bend with the force of the wind.  Murielle’s eyes were now gray as thunderclouds and flashed dangerously.  The hairs on the back of Loki’s neck stood on end.  He felt his feet starting to lose contact with the floor; he was now hovering off it and being pushed backward as Murielle advanced on him.

“You think that you can use me!  Think again!  That amulet stays with me, and you!  You would do well to steer clear of me from now on!”

By now she had him backed against the railing.  The hillside below the veranda slope steeply down toward the creek below the house as it ran toward the ocean.  It was not a long drop for Loki, but it would be a painful one.  Murielle’s rage washed over him, scorching him and forcing him to lean over the railing.  She burned her gaze into Loki’s, as she brought her face within inches of his.  Her voice was thick with hurt and rage, but frighteningly soft, as she said, “Whatever hope of survival you had is now gone.  Do you understand, you arrogant bastard?  Your mother was sadly mistaken.  You are beyond saving now.”

He was too stunned to say anything, or even move from his spot.  When she back away, Loki found that he could not move.  She had bound him in place, still leaning back over the railing and hanging on for dear life.  Loki found that his lips were rendered immobile, as well.  He strained to make any noise in protest and demand to know what she meant.  When Murielle finally released him from this invisible grip, she had vanished.

Loki checked the entire house; it was empty.  A dumbfounded Loki returned to the master bedroom and simply stared at the empty space.  He noticed now that a few of her personal things were gone, no doubt she had magically packed them away and taken them while he was still bound to his spot on the veranda.  Loki didn’t know how long he had been standing in the empty room.  He heard footsteps behind him, too heavy to be Murielle’s.  Loki turned to see Thor fill the doorway.  Thor was looking about the room, noticing the disarray in which it was left.  His eyes fell upon his brother, whom he had never seen look so crestfallen.  “Brother?  Where is Lady Murielle?”

Loki’s voice crack as one who had not spoken for ages.  The despair Thor that heard was overwhelming.  “She has gone, I know not where.  It is my fault, Thor.  I drove her away.”

* * *

Vardun had learned the woman’s ultimate destination.  Once he was in his host body, he began to use his skills to their fullest.  His astral form found her among her allies, discussing her plans to relocate to New York.  She was not there yet, but she would arrive soon.  He observed that the Trickster was with her, as well.  Of course, he would.  She had the amulet, and he would need it back to fully regain his strength.  Vardun knew that he must strike before the woman learned how to use the amulet for herself, or worse, Loki was able to use it.  To conserve his strength, Vardun’s astral form returned to his host.  He would have to strengthen the curse on the woman, but he could not do it until he was stronger.  Until then, he would lie in wait.

Just then, he felt it.  He could taste it, and he knew what it was at once: the woman’s unbridled rage.  As suddenly as he had felt it, it vanished from one place to another.  Now, he felt it to the south.  Vardun corrected his course.  If she could be provoked to the point of madness, he may not need to go to New York after all.

* * *

Murielle stood with her bare feet in the sand and listened to the waves crashing.  She was standing on the shore in Mazatlán.  It was still early enough in the day that the _turistas_ had not emerged from their hotel rooms and vacation rentals along the beach. Her vision was blurred with unshed tears, now that her anger gave way to sorrow and emptiness.  How could she have been so wrong?  Or so foolish?  He had been using her…and she let him!  Why was she so surprised?  Of course, his mother (dead or not) was going to come to his defense.  She wanted her son to be spared anymore suffering.  “ _Well, Frigga.  You can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved!  Sorry, but I’m not the one_ ,” Murielle thought bitterly.

Now, Murielle had to think and plan her next move.  She couldn’t go back there, couldn’t face any of them now.  Not knowing what she knew.  She supposed that she could hide out for a time, then return to the ranch.  Murielle knew that her family would keep her secret.  She would have to let them know that she was alright, eventually.  For now, she just needed to steer clear of them.  Of everyone that she knew.  She went to the one place where she knew that she could find enough anonymity, tequila, and possible debauchery to help her forget the last couple of days.  Then, she heard her phone ringing.  “ _Damn.  I should’ve left that at the house_ ,” she thought as she dug through her purse to find it.

It was Tony.  Murielle knew better than to answer; he would have a lock on her position in a matter of minutes then some “Men in Black” types would swarm the beach to take her in to SHIELD custody.  Or worse, Tony would come with the whole three-ring circus in tow.  Her phone beeped, indicating that Tony left a voice mail.  Murielle shrugged.  She could at least hear what he had to say.  Murielle pushed “Play” and held the phone to her ear.

“Hey, Murielle.  It’s Tony.  Listen, I don’t know what Loki said or did.  Judging by the looks of your room and the look on his face it was bad, and he looks awfully sorry.  Bruce is getting ready to Hulk-out on him so if you want a front row seat, I suggest that you get your ass back here.”  Murielle looked at the phone with a faint smile.  She was about to put it back in her purse when another call came in.  This time, it was from a New York number that she didn’t recognize.  She let it go to voice mail; after a few minutes, she listened to the message that was left.

“Uh, Lady Murielle?  This is Thor.  I am, um, speaking to you from Captain Rogers’ mobile communication device.  I just wanted to say that I hope you were not injured in the apparent struggle.  Whatever my brother has done, I am sure that he is sorry.  If not, he soon will be.  Uh, if it is any comfort to you, Loki appears to be contrite.  In fact, he looks more miserable than I have seen him in a long time.  If you still think he has not suffered enough, I shall carry out any punishment you believe is fitting.  Please respond to this message by calling back on this…number?  Is ‘number’ the right word?  We hope to hear from you soon.”

Murielle lightly chuckled at Thor’s manner of speaking and his obvious discomfort at leaving a voice mail.  What he had to say about Loki, however, just twisted the knife a little deeper.  “ _Sure, he’s sorry.  He’s sorry that he just lost his advantage.  He’s sorry that he was dumb enough to let his pride get the better of him_.”  Murielle really hoped that Bruce enjoyed smashing Loki again…and that someone was recording it for YouTube.

* * *

Back in California, Loki was not getting smashed by the Hulk.  In fact, Bruce just looked at Loki with sad, brown eyes.  He thought that being rag dolled by the other guy would probably be more fun for Loki than his current situation…no matter what Clint said.

Loki just sat on the corner of the broken bed, staring into space.  What did she mean by his mother had been mistaken?  Had she spoken to Frigga before all of this?  Had she known what role she was to play?  Why and how would Frigga speak to this mortal and not her own son?  He knew what the others thought about the state of the room; Loki cared not.  He couldn’t help but allow a small smirk when he overheard the wholesome Captain America and the not-so-wholesome Black Widow trying to figure out just what happened to the bed.  The redhead had eyed him suspiciously, but said nothing.  That small piece of satisfaction was short-lived, though.

Loki had succeeded in driving her away.  Isn’t that what he wanted?  For her to be safe?  Never in his over one thousand years of living had Loki felt so miserable after achieving one of his goals.  He wanted to take back the things that he said. He only said them because he knew that they would hurt her and make her angry.  Loki had even, in the moment, managed to convince himself of his own indignation at having debased himself to being involved with a mortal.  It had greatly enhanced his performance.  But now…

He looked about the room.  He had not noticed it, or much of the house, when he had first entered.  Loki had been too intent on getting Murielle out of her clothes and into her bed.  The mark that she left on this place was indelible.  The soft shades of aqua and green that made up the linens of her bed, the richly oiled dark furniture, the thick rugs on the smooth wood floors.  A large picture window over the large soaking tub in the master bath opened to the west with a view of the treetops, sloping hillsides and the sparkling ocean beyond.

Loki got up from his seat slowly and wandered down the hallway.  He looked about main rooms in a daze.  The front of the living room, near the entryway, was taken up with a large window.  In front of the window were two maroon wing-back chairs.  Between them was a small table and reading lamp.  A stack of books sat upon the table.

The fireplace took up most of one wall.  A leather sofa, a loveseat, and two smaller armchairs were arranged around a heavy square coffee table in front of the fireplace.  The wall opposite the hearth, behind the sofa, was an entire bookcase filled with books.  The subject matter ranged from classical to contemporary, science, history, the arts…Loki was not unfamiliar with many of the titles or authors represented.  Another large archway opened into a kitchen and dining area.  All of it was warm, inviting, and clearly Murielle’s domain.

Loki sat in one of the chairs by the window, staring out across the patio that acted as Murielle's front porch, overlooking landscaped hillside, undulating hills, and the sparkling Pacific Ocean beyond the tops of the oak trees.  The bright flowers and sunshine were in direct contrast to his gray, bleak mood.  If there ever was a time that the God of Mischief felt remorse, this was it. He silently hoped that whatever beings listened in on the thoughts of the living would keep her safe and lead her back home.  He had no right to, but he also hoped that she would be able to forgive him.

He heard and felt his brother approach him.  Gingerly, the God of Thunder took the seat opposite Loki.  The chair groaned under the strain of Thor’s weight as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and peered into Loki’s face.  His face was earnestly sympathetic when he said, “Loki, tell me what happened.”


	21. Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire

Knowing that she’d really stand out if she wore anything other than beach wear, Murielle had helped herself to the wardrobe hidden in the pocket dimension as she entered an unoccupied beach cabana.  She emerged wearing a black and white tropical print one-piece that looked like something Marilyn Monroe would’ve worn, completing the look with a diaphanous black kaftan, silver sandals, and a wide-brimmed straw hat.  She posted up in a cantina that had free Wi-Fi and wasn’t terribly busy at this hour.

She needed a place to sleep that was clean, safe, and would take cash.  She knew the quickest way to get on SHIELD’s radar was to use her credit cards.  She had just booked a room at such a place; she was now eating fish tacos and drinking.  Luckily, Murielle still had her Vegas winnings.  She figured that she could live comfortably off that in Mexico for about a month, longer if she left the resort town.  Fucking Vegas!  If she had known how that would go down, she would’ve gone alone to see Moncrief.

As it stood, she had no way of knowing where that funny little man was, or if he was even alive.  There were still questions that she needed answered.  She wasn’t going to get those answers by sunning on the beach and drowning herself in Espolón Blanco and Pacifico.  Murielle took her last shot of tequila, chased it with the remainder of her last beer, and threw a couple of twenties on the table.  She made her way from the beach bar to her hotel, which was about a block away.

It wasn’t right on the beach, but it had its own path for beach access between two larger resorts.  It was far enough from the tourists to be discreet, but close enough to not arouse suspicion.  She checked in to her room, tossed her bag on the chair, and plopped down on the bed.  She pulled out a burner phone that she had bought at a kiosk in the mall a few weeks prior.

Murielle had to laughed at herself; she never used to be the paranoid, burner phone type.  Now, here she was: one tin foil hat and a basement full of MREs away from full-on conspiracy cuckoo.  She took a business card from her purse and dialed the number.  Everyone that she knew said that nobody ever answered this number for incoming calls; its owner would call you back if he found you worth the effort.  To her surprise, a sonorous voice with a Quebecois accent answered: “Navit Antiquities and Appraisals.  This is Renault Navit.”

“ _Monsieur_ Navit, thank you for taking my call.  My name is Murielle Bonneau.  I had met with your chief curator in Las Vegas.”

“Ah, yes.  _Mademoiselle_ Bonneau.  We were expecting your call sooner.”

“I had anticipated that Mr. Moncrief would contact me once it was safe.  I apologize for not following the proper channels, but I was concerned for his safety.”

“Think nothing of it, _mon cher_.  He is doing well, all things considered.  But, how are you?  I am sure that your experience has been quite…unnerving these last few days.”

Murielle did not know how much Navit knew of the situation, but she knew to tread lightly.  “Yes, _monsieur_.  Some things have come to light that leave more questions than answers.  Is Mr. Moncrief available to meet somewhere of his choosing?  Somewhere safe?”

“Sadly, _mon cher_ , it is still too dangerous for you to meet anywhere you would be able to reach.  However, I am most interested in speaking to you.”

Red flags went up everywhere.  Why would the dealer himself wish to speak with her?  The smooth voice on the other end continued, “My man Moncrief says that you are an extraordinary creature.  Not entirely human on either side of your family.  Tell me: what do you know of your lineage?”

“I’m afraid that I know only what the divining orb showed me.  That I my father was something not of this world and that my mother, while capable of sorcery, had powers weakened by being generations removed from the source of that power.”

“Most interesting.  What can you tell me about Freyr’s sword, _mademoiselle_?”

Murielle heart stopped as her hands began to tremble.  She took a steadying breath.  “Freyr’s sword?  I am not sure that I know what you mean.”

“Come now.  You know the sword.  You handle it so beautifully, it is as if it were forged just for you.”  Navit’s voice became hard now and his accent was replaced by another, unfamiliar one.  “Mademoiselle Bonneau, you cannot fool me!  You know what you are!  Only a descendent of the Vanir could use that sword with such deadly skill.  The strength your sorcery comes from your father, and it is he who has contracted me to find you.  I know where you are, girl.  Stay right there.”

The line went dead.

“Murielle Bonneau, you are one dumb bitch!” she shouted aloud at herself.  She opened the pocket dimension and tossed her things into it.  She quickly stripped off her swimsuit and found jeans, a rust colored cashmere sweater, a brown leather jacket, and her brown ankle boots.  She had to leave Mexican beachside and head somewhere else…and was quickly running out of hiding places.  She might be able to come back to this place, if she stayed off the radar long enough.  She cast some signaling wards on the room to let her know if anyone entered or left.  With that, she began to form a portal.  However, the portal would not stabilize.  Something was terribly wrong.

The wind battered the patio slider of her room.  Murielle looked outside to see the skies had darkened and were threatening rain.  She heard the voices of people in the streets shouting at the sudden change in the weather.  “ _Oh shit.  Is this Thor?  Or something else?_ ”  Murielle didn’t want to see the God of Thunder just now, but she preferred that to the unknown.  The room illuminated suddenly with a flash of lightning, followed by booming thunder that shook the building and distressed cries of people outside.  The lightning bolt had struck a transformer and the power was out over a three-mile radius.

Murielle heard the hum of electricity being restored as the hotel’s backup generators came on.  It would be enough to illuminate the hallways and common areas, but not enough to run the elevators or provide light in the rooms.  She changed back into her beachwear, knowing that something had block her from forming the portal. 

She peeked out into the hallway and saw a few of the other guests on the floor making their way to the stairwell.  She fell in with a small group of vacationers from Texas, mostly divorcees by the conversation that Murielle overheard.  “Oh, honey!  What brings you here?” asked a woman with big blonde hair and kind brown eyes.

Murielle replied gaily, “Sounds like the same thing that brought you all here.  A break up and a desire to drown my sorrows in tequila while sitting on a beach.”

The older women all laughed at her response.  “Sweetie, you stay with us!  We’ll help you forget old what’s-his-name,” said the slightly middle-aged Hispanic woman with gorgeous skin and short, curly hair.  “My name is Marisol Lopez,” she said as she offered her hand to Murielle.

She took her hand and replied, “Murielle Bonneau.  Pleased to meet you, Marisol.  Are all of you ladies from Texas?”

“Yes, ma’am.  Where are you from?”

“California.  I just got into town.”

“Well, Murielle.  You look like a gal who knows how to have fun.  You stick us, and we’ll look after you.”

Murielle smiled in response, but her eyes continued to watch the other people in the stairwell.  They made it to the ground floor of the hotel, where the staff directed guests to the hotel bars and restaurant for complimentary cocktails and appetizers, to make up for the inconvenience of losing power.

Murielle and her group of Texan ladies found a corner booth and were promptly waited on by the servers.  These ladies had become quite popular with the staff and for good reason.  They were a hoot!  The woman with big blonde hair (her name was Jolynn Owens) had a nephew that was handsome, in the cattle business, about Murielle’s age, and single.  “Honey, I am going to introduce you to him.  He’s quite a catch, and I think you would be a cute couple!”

Murielle didn’t have the heart to tell Jolynn that her nephew would have a tough act to follow.  While she continued to be on guard, Murielle relaxed a bit because she could blend in better by being part of a group.  She was on her second margarita when she felt the wards of her room.  Someone was in there.  Someone with a dark, sickeningly familiar presence…

* * *

Loki was not given over much to sharing with his brother.  He hated the vulnerability and the inevitable judgement that came with it.  However, as he spoke, he saw no judgement in Thor’s face, for once.  The big blond oaf was simply listening, his eyes fixed on Loki the entire time.  Loki told him about his offer to take Murielle with him once his powers were restored.  He told Thor about his nightmares…and his decision to drive Murielle away.  And the unintended aftermath.

“I did not expect her to take it the way that she did.  This isn’t the first liaison I have end poorly, but not since Lorelei have I had this much trouble.”

Thor’s expression was pensive and silent.  It was so not like him; Loki needed to fill the silence.  “Of course, I did all of this for her protection.  She is not safe with me.  Why can she not see that?” 

Thor still looked at him in silence.  Loki did not know what to make of it.

Finally, Thor spoke.  “Brother, did you not think that Lady Murielle deserved to be given a choice?”

Loki stared at his brother.  “A choice?  A _choice_?  Is that what I should have done?  Give her a _choice_?  A chance to make the wrong decision?”

“What would have been the wrong choice, in your mind?” 

“The one that she was inclined to make!  She was prepared to stay with me, you thick-headed ox!  Don’t you see?  She would have given herself over to a life of peril and ultimately ruin.  Stayed by a monster!  I could not let that happen.  She would have…” Loki choked out the last of his words, “She would have died, Thor.”

“So, rather than risk her making a choice you didn’t like, you made the choice for her.  Is that it?”

Loki snarled defensively, “I saved her life.  Those who mean to do me harm would use her, then kill her.  Or worse, they would keep her alive long enough to make me suffer, then kill her. 

“Who’s to say that you have prevented her from dying at the hands of those who wish to do you harm?” Thor said ruefully.

Loki was silent; he could feel Thor’s eyes upon him.  For his part, Loki just continued to stare at his hands.  Thor asked, “Are _you_ happy with the choice that you made for her, brother?”

The dark-haired man looked at his brother incredulously.  “Does it look like I’m happy, Thor?”

Thor, then clamped a meaty paw on Loki’s lean shoulder, and said, “Then you know what you must do.”

Murielle’s siblings watched all of this from the kitchen.  They just couldn’t understand what had happened between now and the evening before.  When they last saw their sister and her…well, new boyfriend they were busy laughing and enjoying themselves with everyone else.  Loki had started out the quiet type, but it wasn’t long before he was telling stories and joking with the rest of the Bonneau clan.  He was sarcastic as hell, but then again, so was Murielle.

They also knew their sister well enough to know that she was usually slow to anger, but if the right buttons were pushed she would obliterate everything in her path.  Knowing the sort of havoc that Murielle could wreak when provoked, they were a little sorry for the God of Mischief.

Marie tried to cheer him up.  “Look on the bright side, Loki.  If she had really been mad, she would have let you fall over the rail.”

“Marie’s right, Loki,” added Theresa.  “People who piss her off usually suffer from an unfortunate case of poetic justice.”

“You mean like Paul?” Luke said with a twinkle in his eye.  This made the two women laugh knowingly.

“Who is Paul?” asked Thor.

“Murielle’s former fiancé,” replied Luke.  “She found out that he was cheating on her.  How I don’t know, and I don’t wanna know.  Anyway, when she did, she got him right where it hurts.”

Thor’s complexion became sallow.  Loki was so pale that it was hard to tell of the blood had left his face, but he looked like he about to be sick.  This made Marie laugh even harder.  “No, not like _that_.  She can be mean, but she’s not a barbarian!  Paul was vain and all about material possessions.”

“They were living together, but he travelled a lot for work.  They had a beautiful home, nice cars, she even shared credit accounts with him.  While he was on the road, she cancelled his credit cards, reported his cell phone as stolen, and had his vehicle repossessed,” said Theresa.  “Then, as if that wasn’t enough, she packed all of his things and donated them to charity.  She moved out of the apartment they were renting and got place of her own.  All in the span of three days.”

Marie added, “Paul came back to an empty apartment, not even the utilities were left on, with the words, ‘I’m Done!’ painted in big, bold, red letters on the largest wall in the place.”

“The last time any of us saw him was about a year ago.  Paul had been inexplicably fired from his job right after Murielle dumped his ass.  He was still unemployed, living with his mother, had lost all his hair, packed on about 70 pounds, and looked like he had aged 20 years,” said Luke.  “Believe me, when Murielle is done she will salt the fields, and nothing grows there again.  ‘Scorched earth’ takes on a whole new meaning.”

Theresa laughed, “If Murielle could have found a way to plague him with an STD, I think that she would have.”

Loki made a note to ask Murielle about this the creature who was entirely unworthy of his little fox and if she would like to exact her revenge more fully against him.  He would have to teach her the incantations and show her how to perform the spell, but he had no doubt that she could do it.  “ _This is entirely predicated on the idea that she will ever speak to me ever again_ ,” Loki thought sadly.

Tony, hearing the tail-end of the conversation, turned to the Bonneaus.  “You guys talking about Paul?  How is that insufferable prick these days?  Not so high and mighty now, is he?”

Luke barked out a laugh.  “He has definitely been humbled.  He’s still a prick, but he knows his place.”

Everyone jumped when Tony’s phone began to ring.  He put it on speaker phone as he answered.  “Friday, what do you have for me?”

“Sir, I have scanned through video footage from cameras all over the Western Hemisphere.  A woman matching Ms. Bonneau’s description has been seen in Mazatlán.  There appears to be an unseasonal typhoon in the area.  A lightning strike has taken out the power supply near her hotel.”

“Is she still there?” asked Tony.

“Yes, she was just seen in the lobby.  It appears that she has fallen in with a group of women who are also vacationing there.  They entered the hotel’s restaurant ten minutes ago.”

“Great!  Send us the location,” Tony said as he hung up the phone.

“Load up, everyone!  We are headed to Mexico!”

* * *

The large bearded man had easily broken the wards sealing the door to the woman’s room.  Looking around, however, the room looked as if she had only been here briefly.  The comforter on the bed was a bit wrinkled, but there was no luggage or any other indication that she had been there long.  Her scent and the residual of her power still hung in the air, which meant that she had not gone far.  The spell that he had cast to weaken her ability to use her powers had caused the storm.  Vardun knew that the woman could not have gotten far.  Now, he needed to find her.

* * *

The ladies seated in the corner booth were enjoying their third round of drinks when there was a commotion at the door.  Jolynn looked over to the entrance of the restaurant.  “Oh, ladies.  Don’t look now, but there is some serious trouble coming through the door.”

Murielle looked over and spotted two very familiar men, one black-haired and the other blond.  “Oh, shit!” muttered Murielle.

The Texans turned to Murielle in shock.  “Why aren’t you as excited as us to see that come in this place?” asked Marisol.

“Because,” Murielle slouched in her seat, “the dark-haired one is the guy I’m trying to forget.  The blond is his brother.”

Jolynn looked from him to her new friend and said, “Oh, honey. My poor nephew doesn’t stand a chance.  Does he?”

Loki was scanning the crowded restaurant.  Tony’s AI said that she must still be inside the restaurant.  Movement caught his attention in the back corner of the dining room.  There was a group of women seated in a booth; none of them were Murielle, but they were all staring at him.  They were the women that Murielle had befriended, based on the footage from the security camera in the lobby.  Donning his most charming smile, Loki made his way over to the table. 

As he approached, he noticed that they were all sizing him up.  “I beg your pardon, ladies.  I am looking for a friend of mine.  Perhaps you have seen her?”

A chorus of giggles went up from the table.  The blonde, who appeared to be the ringleader in this little group, said “We would be happy to help, young man.  What does your friend look like?”

Meanwhile, Murielle had snuck out of the booth (by crawling under the table) and was now walking away as quickly as she could without drawing any attention.  It wasn’t the most mature tact that she could have taken, but in the moment, it was her best option.  Now, she was stuck behind a screen and some potted plants.  Loki was between her and the exit.  Shit.

Loki continued to talk to the women, and Murielle overheard them.  “She is about a foot shorter than me, curvaceous.  She has long brown hair, startling blue eyes, and a brilliant smile.  Her name is Murielle.”

Jolynn decided to tease Loki a bit.  “She sounds real cute, mister.  I’m sure that she shouldn’t be too hard to find in here.”

“A friend of mine thought that he had seen her come in here with you ladies.”

“Well,” said Jolynn, “if we see her, who should we say is looking for her?”

Loki’s voice grew soft.  “Tell her it was a man who behaved very foolishly.”

Marisol piped up, “Are you sorry for what you did?” 

Loki didn’t say anything, but Murielle could see he was still in front of the table.  Finally, he said, “Yes, I am.  I didn’t mean any of what I said.  I thought that I was protecting her by driving her away.  Instead, I just made a mess of everything.” 

The plants were blocking her view, so she couldn’t see the look on Loki’s face.  Not that it would have made a difference.  Wasn’t he known for being able to sweet talk his way out of trouble?  Murielle was so busy eavesdropping that she didn’t notice the big, black-bearded brute that entered the cantina until he bellowed, “Murielle Bonneau!  I know that you are in here!  I shall tear the entire city apart if I must, but I will capture you.”

“ _What the fuck is this?_ ” she thought.  She then noticed a shadowy outline imposed over the man’s face.  “ _Oh, no.  That’s how he does it_.”  It now made sense.  Franklin McDermott had been a host body for Vardun.  Same as this guy who, according to his patches on his vest, went by the name of Spider.

“Spider” turned his gaze toward Loki, red eyes burning with hatred.  “Where is the woman, Trickster?  I know that she is close.  I can smell her.”  The man’s lips curled into an ugly sneer as he licked his lips, “I can smell her fear…and her rage.  You must have awakened the rage.  Now, she will be so much easier to turn."  Vardun's heavy footsteps could be felt through the tile floor as he stepped closer.  In a mocking voice, he called out "Come out, little witch.  You know that you cannot use your powers here.  You have tried and failed already.  Come out, or I shall make you come to me.”

Murielle backed away from her spot, looking about her and spotting a hallway that led to the restrooms and the kitchen beyond the main doorway.  She crouched along the wall, making her way to the hall so she could escape outside.  She as almost to the kitchen when her feet rooted to the floor.  She began to feel the familiar burn of her magic creeping along her nerves and veins.  Only, she was not in control.  Murielle's consciousness began to fade.  Knowing what it was, she now fought it.  She could hear the sorcerer's voice in her head taunting her.  " _Fight if you must, witch, but you will be under my command soon enough_."  Murielle felt a large, calloused hand roughly grab her by the back of the neck and drag her backward.

Vardun’s burly host body now emerged from behind the partition, his hand about the scruff of Murielle’s neck.  People were screaming and rushing out the door.  Loki now burned with white-hot rage, but also felt a twinge of fear as he saw the war taking place within the woman.  The surface of her skin had begun to shimmer as her powers began to focus within.  Her eyes were now silver but far from expressionless.  “You must fight this, Murielle!  Concentrate!  You can drive him out!”

Mjolnir flew by and nailed Vardun in the chest, knocking him backward.  His grip on Murielle’s neck loosened, but she went tumbling backward with the momentum of the hammer striking its target.  She crawled up on all fours, trembling now from the strain.  The tiles below her hands and knees began to glow with heat.  The others had now arrived in time to see Murielle now stagger to her feet.  The heat generated by the magic coursing through her now caused her clothing to burn away.  Loki could see that she was losing the battle in her mind.  He had to do something.  Fast.

He completely shifted to his Jotun form.  Something that he had only done twice before that moment.  Even when he fought Vardun in Las Vegas, he had not completely changed himself only enough to call upon the ice.  Now, Loki every ounce of strength that he had and couldn’t spare any to maintain his Asgardian form.  As he approached Murielle, the heat radiating from her was becoming unbearable.  He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest; the sensation his skin in contact with hers took the wind out of him.  While the icy cold of his skin protected him from being burnt, the meeting of heat and cold formed a sudden, thick fog in the room.  Despite the fog, Loki could still see Murielle’s face as he tilted her face toward his.  “Murielle!  You must fight!  Focus on my voice!”

Murielle had been plunged into darkness.  She was only sensible of the burning, the pain of her very being torn apart by the energy now coursing through her, summoned by Vardun.  She struggled to be free, but the pain made it so hard to focus.  It seemed easier to slip away, anything to end the pain of being burned away.  With a jolt, she felt the cold!  The cold soothed away the burning and freed her mind from the agony of her body.  She heard a distant voice calling to her.  Calling her back into herself.  That voice then became an anguished cry.  “ _No!  Loki!_ ” she shouted in her mind, battering against the black force to free herself. 

Vardun regained consciousness, tasting blood in his mouth.  That fool with the hammer had knocked him out, and now the room was engulfed in mist.  Vardun got to his feet and saw the shadowy outline of one figure clutching another, smaller one.  He then heard the taller figure shouting, “Focus on my voice!”

“Fool!  You think that you can stop it!  She has been unleashed and now will become the very doom of this world.  She will burn away all until only the Infinity Stones are left,” Vardun cackled.  The sorcerer flung a blast of energy at them.  Loki turned his back to the blast to shield Murielle from the worst of it.  Between her burning and Vardun’s attack, Loki’s body gave out.  He fell to the ground with a pained cry, unconscious.  As he fell, Murielle’s eyes began to flicker from silver to blue.  She was back to herself, but saw Loki crumpled at her feet.  She barely noticed that she had no clothes as she went to her knees, rolling Loki over onto his back.  She frantically began to shake him.  Her efforts to wake him were interrupted by the cruel chuckle of the sorcerer behind her.

“I hope he has not been permanently damaged.  Thanos will be disappointed if he is.”

Murielle knew that Vardun’s hold on her had been weakened or broken; she now felt the magic at her fingertips as she rose to her feet and snatched the cloth hanging from an upended table.  Wrapping it around herself, she turned and glared at Vardun.  “You will not take him.  Or me.  This ends now,” her tone was low and lethal. 

“Oh, indeed, little witch.  Your hero can no longer guard you, so it’s just you and me.”

“You assume too much, Vardun.”

Loki rose to his feet, green and gold shimmering at his fingertips and the wounds on his face and body beginning to close on their own.  His eyes glowed with a preternatural light.  The smirk on his face told Murielle everything she needed to know: Loki was at full strength.  And he was out for blood.

His luminous emerald eyes narrowed to slits as he stepped to Murielle’s side.  She was awestruck at the sight of him this way.  She could feel the magic pulsating through him, and through her.  Without looking at her, or even speaking, Murielle could hear Loki.  “ _I know that you’re admiring the view, darling, but we have business to attend._ ”

Murielle barked out a dry laugh that puzzled the lookers-on but made Loki grin.  She thought sarcastically, “ _Even in imminent danger, he’s still a preening peacock_.”

Loki gave her a sideways glance and winked.  “ _I heard that, Murielle.  I plan to make you pay for it later._ ”

She rolled her eyes, then said aloud, “Okay.  Now what?”

“ _We must banish him completely.  Otherwise, he will simply occupy another host_ ,” Loki replied.

“ _Where are we banishing him to?_ ”

“ _You leave that to me.  Now, repeat these words_ exactly.”  Loki gave her the words for the spell that they were to use.  It would do two things: separate Vardun’s spirit from the body of the host and cast it into whatever place Loki wanted it to go.  Murielle did not recognize the words, but she was able to feel their meaning through Loki.  Now, they began to recite the spell aloud.

Vardun advanced on them as they did, but Murielle saw the shadowy outline of Vardun’s spirit waver and drift from his host’s body.  Soon, Spider’s body collapsed in a heap.  A black vortex opened behind Vardun’s shade as he shrieked, “How can it be?  Your powers have been taken from you?  She cannot do this on her own?”

“ _She_ can’t,” Loki smirked triumphantly, “but _we_ can.”

The vortex closed on Vardun, cutting him off mid-scream.  With the dark sorcerer gone, the skies outside cleared.  The only people left in the place were the Avengers, Loki, and Murielle.  “Uh, guys?” Tony looked at Murielle and Loki.  “I just have one question: WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?”

Loki looked at Tony, “That, Stark, was a sorcerer being banished to the one place I could guarantee his just reward.”

“And that is?” Murielle asked with a cocked eyebrow.

With a wry smile and haunted eyes, Loki simply said, “The Void.”


	22. I Can't Get No Satisfaction

Murielle went back to her room so that she could put on some actual clothes.  When the elevator doors slid open, Loki was waiting for her.  Before she could step off the elevator, he reached into it and pulled her out.  Murielle’s eyes went wide with surprise, her lips parted.  Loki’s mouth locked on to hers; she tried to pull away, but his arms imprisoned her waist.  Murielle’s struggle for freedom slowed as her body melted into his.  As her groans of protest became moans of pleasure, Loki released her to let her stand on her own wobbly legs.  “Where is your room, darling?” Loki purred as he gazed down at the flushed, starry-eyed woman.

Sensing her indecisiveness, Loki let his hand drift along her face before he ran his fingers through her hair.  Murielle gasped as he grabbed a fistful of it and pulled her head back so that he could place a string of kisses along her jaw and neck.  “We need to go to your room now, Murielle,” he moaned into her neck.  “You are wearing nothing but table linens, and my self-control is hanging by a thread.”

Murielle couldn’t lie to herself; her body betrayed her mind and her heart.  Loki had saved her, but that neither negated what he had said to her nor did it help that his words had confirmed her own suspicions about his motives.  Further adding to her turmoil, Loki had _seemed_ sincere when he said he was sorry.  Then he stuck around and brought her back from the brink of madness, breaking Vardun’s hold on her.  Whether it was because he genuinely cared or because he was just protecting the access to his magic, Murielle did not know.  Shyly backing away, Murielle turned to walk down the hallway.  She removed her room key from her bag and opened the door.

Loki was behind her, his elegant hands caressing her through the table cloth as he waited for the door to open.  As soon as she was in the room, the table cloth vanished.  Murielle yelped in surprise and crossed her arms over herself, spinning around to face Loki who had also made his own clothes vanish.  The vulpine smile on his face made Murielle tremble with delight and apprehension.  Closing the distance between them, Loki studied Murielle as if seeing her for the first time.

“ _Why are you suddenly so shy, little fox?_ ” he asked in her thoughts, with a slight tilt of his head.  Unbidden, Murielle’s mind became of flood of her thoughts and emotions.  The hurt, the anger, the suspicion, the fear: it was all laid bare right alongside Murielle’s desire and the tentatively tender feelings she had for him.  It all washed over Loki suddenly, but what caused him to reel in shock was Murielle’s memories.  He saw that she had overheard his conversation with Thor in the dunes.  She also had been on the astral plane.  He now saw...and knew.

A heavy silence lay between them.  Murielle could not meet his gaze, and continued to keep her eyes fixed on the floor.  She knew what he saw as he had peered into her mind.  Now she waited…for what?  An apology?  A chiding?  For Loki to fly into a fantastic fit?  Nothing happened.  There was no sound, no movement.  Murielle finally raised her eyes to face him, but they fell on empty space.  Loki was gone.

* * *

The sensation of her emotions rolling over him had been too much for Loki to bear, so he did the one thing he could think of in that moment: he left.  In his distress, Loki had not given much thought to where he wanted to teleport.  Which is why he now found himself in the middle of the desert, surrounded by scrub brush and cacti.  Rock formations in reds, oranges, and browns cropped up across the arid landscape, the sun baking everything under its merciless gaze.

The tangled mess of her thoughts and feelings had only compounded his own.  Then there was the fact that she had seen into his own mind.  He didn't delve far enough to know if she had seen everything, but Loki did not want to know.  He could understand the feelings of anger and suspicion; those feelings were like old friends to him.  What drove Loki to seek solitude was that in spite of all that he had said and done, she still cared for him.  His deeds and thoughts had been utterly exposed to her, but she had set that all aside for him!

It was one thing for him to find pleasure in her bed and to vicariously enjoy the magic that coursed through her whenever he was near enough to feel it.  The act of seeing into her mind and sharing her thoughts was far more intimate than Loki had anticipated, and it made him uncomfortable.  It wasn't the first time that he had entered another being's consciousness; in fact, Loki had often used that ability to sway the opinions and actions of others to his benefit.  It was, however, the first time that doing so had left him exposed.  She hadn't simply opened her mind to him.  Murielle had drawn him into herself and shown him the innermost workings of her mind, just as she had most certainly seen his.  She most likely didn't mean to do so, but Loki could not un-know what he knew now.

With his minion thrown back into his domain, the Mad Titan would redouble his efforts to claim Murielle and the Infinity Stones.  Loki also had no doubt that Thanos would come for him now.  Confident that he had his powers back, Loki began to recite the spell to open the doorway to the cracks in Yggdrasil.  He was determined to leave this realm, post haste.  He completed the spell and... nothing.  Loki came to realize the awful truth: Odin did not believe that his sentence had been served completely. Beginning to curse in Old Norse and several dead languages of this realm and others, Loki looked skyward and shouted, "So I am only allowed to use my magic in her presence, is that it?  That is low, even for you!"

Loki did the one thing that he could do now: he started to trek across rust-colored soil toward the nearest rise in the topography, hoping to gain some vantage point which would allow him to identify the nearest town.  From there, he could figure out how to contact Stark to come get him.  As much as Loki hated to admit it, he was better off in the company of that merry band of idiots than he was on his own.

* * *

"What do you mean he's gone?"

Murielle (now clothed in shorts and a tank top), was surrounded by the Avengers and trying to explain that Loki had just vanished into thin air.  "Like I said.  One minute he was standing in my hotel room.  The next, he wasn't."

"Did he tell you where he was headed?" asked Steve.

She snarked in response, "Yes.  He explained every phase of his super-duper secret master plan to me.  No, Steve!  He didn't say a word."  Murielle didn't want to tell them what she had seen in the brief glimpse she had of his mind.  What she saw there both scared her and gave her hope.

Everyone looked to Tony as Bruce asked, "You didn't give Loki a phone, did you?"

Tony shook his head.  "It wasn't exactly on my to-do list, so no."

Thor was deep in thought, like he was trying desperately to remember something important.  He kept circling around the area where Loki had been standing before he pulled his disappearing act.  He then looked at Murielle and said, "You might be able to track him, Lady Murielle."

Murielle looked at him incredulously.  "What do you mean, Thor?  How could I track him?"

"Mother used to use a spell to learn our whereabouts when we were children.  Oftentimes, it was while one or both of us were hiding from being punished.  As we grew older and began to join Father on military campaigns, she used it to make sure that we were safe.  The only time that it didn't work was when Loki was held prisoner by Vardun."

Getting up from her spot on the bed, Murielle walked over to where Thor had been pacing.  She could feel some residual of Loki's presence as she grew closer to the spot on which he had stood.  She passed her hand through the air and felt the prickling of static.  Murielle looked at Thor, whose eyes were hopeful.  "I don't know about tracking him, but I might be able to follow him," she sighed.  "I can only hope that wherever he went, you guys can follow me.  At least, I hope there's cell service."

"I shall go with you," Thor said stepping closer to her.

Murielle shook her head and replied, "I think it might be best if I go on my own for now."  Thor looked down at her with concern.

"Don't worry, big guy.  I'll call if I need help," she said as she patted him on the arm.

Murielle closed her eyes and focused.  While she could travel with portals, teleportation was something altogether different.  To teleport, one need to create a tear in time and space, occupying for the blink of an eye two places at once.  To do it over long distances required strength and magic that Murielle did not have.  She could, however, see where the tears were.  Behind her closed eyelids, Murielle saw desert.  She took a deep breath and made her portal, the others looked on as she stepped through it and into landscape that looked like New Mexico.

There was no obvious signs of Loki, other than a set of footprints in the dirt.  His tracks led northeast, toward a ridge and some rock formations.  " _Dammit.  I need better footwear_ ," Murielle thought as she looked down at her flip flops.  She conjured a pair of socks, some hiking boots, and a hat.  She looked toward the horizon, but could not see him.  Following Loki's tracks, Murielle started walking and pulled out her phone.  She had enough signal to send a text message to Tony and look at a map.  She was about fifteen miles southwest of Puente Antiguo.  "Are you kidding, Loki?  What brought you here?"

* * *

As he approached the dingy little hamlet, Loki recognized that he had been here before.  Well, _he_ had not been here.  The Destroyer had, and Loki had been able to look at the town through its eyes.  This was just too much.  All Loki needed now was to run into Thor's precious mortal and her assistant for his suffering to be complete.  " _Although_ ," he thought, " _it could be worse.  Sif and the Morons Three could be here for a complete re-enactment of past events_."

The damage done by the Destroyer was mostly repaired by now.  The streets of Puente Antiguo were lined with new storefronts and freshly finished sidewalks.  As evidently new as the construction was, the desert was harsh.  Days of wind and sun had already weathered some of the finishes to a patina that would indicate decades of existence anywhere else.  Since it was such a small town, and he seemed to come from nowhere, the townsfolk were watching Loki with heightened interest.  The last time strangers had come, they had brought destruction with them.

To escape the heat and inquire after a means of contacting Stark, Loki entered a diner.  As it was mid-afternoon, there were only a few patrons.  All of whom turned to regard the stranger who had darkened the doorway.  A small, plump woman with a pleasant face and short, curly hair greeted him from behind the counter.  "Feel free to seat yourself.  I will be right there to take your order."

Centuries of engrained habit led Loki to a corner booth where he could watch the main entrance and the kitchen, where he assumed that there was a door leading outdoors.  He sat with his back to the wall, pretending to look at the decor of the establishment when he was really sizing up the clientele.  Determining that none of them posed an imminent threat, Loki relaxed a bit.  The woman, whose name tag indicated that her name was "Izzie," came over his table with a menu and a glass of water.

"You must be a cop.  They are the only people I know who will pick a corner booth in a restaurant with open seating," she smiled as she set down the glass.

Loki found it hysterically funny that he, of all the creatures in the Nine Realms, would be mistaken for one of the high priests of law and order.  He threw his head back and laughed heartily, the volume of which caused several elderly patrons to jump at being startled.  When he had stopped laughing, the somewhat bewildered woman was looking at him expectantly.  "A thousand pardons, madam.  I assure you, I am not an officer of the law.  I only found it humorous to be compared to such."  He gratefully took the glass of water and drained it in several continuous gulps.

Izzie just eyed the man cautiously as she said, "I will get you another glass of water and let you look over the menu."

Loki was trying to decide whether he should go with the strawberry Belgian waffles or the turkey bacon club when he felt the energetic quickening of his blood, nerves, and sinew.  It could only mean one thing: she was nearby.  He had to mask his surprise at seeing Murielle Bonneau strolling past the cafe window.  He had not had a chance to simply observe her without her knowledge since he first met her; Loki took advantage of his opportunity.  She appeared to have done a fair amount of walking, as she was flushed with exertion and a sheen of perspiration glistened on her shoulders.  A drop of sweat rolled down her temple, continuing down her neck and past the neckline of her top.  Even without seeing her eyes, Loki knew they they shone a with brilliant sapphire hue.  He had to fight the urge to bolt out of his seat.  Whether to greet her or flee from her, Loki was not certain.

She appeared to not notice him as she entered the diner and was greeted by Izzie.  She also didn't appear to notice the eyes of the other patrons as she seated herself by the window, facing the back of the restaurant.  When Izzie presented her with a glass of water and a menu, Murielle removed her hat and sunglasses.  She opened the menu, as if deciding what to order.  As Loki sat and watched her, Murielle lifted her gaze over the edge of the menu to look straight at him.  " _Busted_ ," she thought to herself with a ghost of a smile on her lips.  Still, she made no attempt to wave him over to her... nor did she move to join him.

After Izzie took his order, Loki began to openly watch the woman.  She dropped the pretense of looking at the menu and rested her elbows on the tabletop so she could rest her chin on her knuckles.  In an attempt to disquiet her, Loki smiled lasciviously and patted the bench next to him.  Murielle responded by subtly shaking her head and patting the seat of the chair next to hers.  Loki, upped the ante by crooking his index finger in a come-hither motion, all the while fixed on her.  Murielle mirrored him, also adding the same subtle shake of her head.  It was a stand-off, and Loki would sooner be damned than be the one to break.  The woman shrugged as if to say "your loss" and went back to studying the menu.

Loki grinned smugly to himself, considering himself the victor of the first round, when he heard a voice in his head.  " _You know two can play this game, right?_ "

He looked up at Murielle, who was still looking at her menu.  " _Why are you even here?_ "  The irritation in his question made Murielle look across the diner at him.  He continued in the same manner as she looked at him, her face immovable.  " _You were scared of me a few hours ago.  Scared of what I had done and what I am capable of doing._ "

Murielle responded with reproachful eyes after she had placed her order.  " _I wasn't scared of_ you _, you horse's ass.  I was scared of how you would react to my knowing certain things.  I was scared that you were telling the truth when you said that you were just using me.  I was not scared of you_.   _Why did you walk here, anyway?_ "

Loki blinked with surprise.  " _How do you know that I walked?_ "

With a cocked eyebrow, Murielle looked at Loki's dust-covered shoes and pant legs.  " _Just a hunch.  Mostly because I figured out how to follow you, then saw your tracks in the desert_."

Continuing this silent conversation, Loki looked at her incredulously.  " _You still haven't answered_ my _question: why are you here?_ "

" _I am here because I want to know, once and for all, what you want.  Do you want me?  Or do you only want your powers back?_ "  Her expression was now full of questions, wanting only to know Loki's intentions.

Loki gave her a crooked smile as he answered her.  " _Are the two mutually exclusive?_ "

" _No necessarily_ ," Murielle shrugged.  " _However, I am not just a means to an end.  After all that's happened since we met, I think I deserve an honest answer_."

 _"You expect the God of Lies to be honest?  Little fox, you may expect too much from me.  I've been told that I have trouble even being honest with myself,_ " he smirked.

" _Your title notwithstanding, I deserve_ _a straight answer._ "  

Their entirely silent conversation was interrupted by Izzie delivering their orders.  The owner of the diner whispered to Loki as she set his plate down, "Should I take this over to her table?  You two keep staring at each other.  You might make a cute couple if one of you would make a move already."

"Actually," Loki smiled at the woman, "would you set her plate down here?  I would like her to join me."

The older woman laughed, "Okay, mister.  I won't be responsible for what happens if she doesn't like the idea."

He kept on smiling as he replied, "Tell her that I've taken care of the bill, and that I wish to have lunch with her."

Murielle saw Izzie set her plate down at Loki's table.  " _What the hell do you think you're doing?_ "

Izzie walked over to Murielle's table, reciting what Loki said, but the younger woman was tuning her out.  Instead, she listened for Loki's answer.  He replied, " _As our lovely waitress has explained, I would like you to join me at my table.  Since I picked up the tab for lunch, I think that it's only fair that you come to sit with me._ "

With an exasperated sigh and her eyes slightly narrowed in annoyance, Murielle picked up her things and her drink so that she could sit at Loki's table.  She went to sit opposite him, when he pulled her plate across the table and moved over to make room on the bench next to him.  Murielle threw her hat down on the empty bench then plopped herself onto the bench next to him, trying to maintain some personal space.  The God of Mischief was having none of that nonsense.  He quickly drew his left arm around Murielle and pulled her snuggly against him.  As he did so, Loki took the opportunity to nuzzle the side of her neck.  Murielle closed her eyes, trying to ignore the feelings welling up from inside her.  She struggled to keep her wits about her; Loki then nibbled at her earlobe, which now seem directly connected to more intimate parts of Murielle's body.

Murielle bit her lower lip, tasting her own blood now, as she fought the urge to moan wantonly.  She didn't want to encourage him, but Murielle began to realize that the more she fought it, the harder Loki would work to get her to react.  She was damned if she did.  Damned if she didn't.  This was confirmed when she began to feel his lips moving against her neck, not in tender kisses but as if he was speaking.  The bastard was using magic on her!

"What are you doing?" Murielle asked in a harsh whisper.

Loki's laughter was soft, low, and seductive as he said, "I promised that I would do things to you and for you once I had my powers back, darling.  I am simply making good on that promise."

Before she could ask for clarification, Loki then returned to his ministrations.  Placing soft, barely there, kisses along the side of Murielle's neck, every touch registered two places: where he was actually touching and between her legs.  Acting only on instinct, Murielle closed her eyes and and leaned her head back against the padding on the wall behind the booth.  She could feel Loki's smile against her skin and a barely audible moan escape her.  Loki stopped his exquisite torment long enough to say, "I have cloaked us from the rest of the world, pet.  They cannot see or hear us."

When his teeth grazed the top of her shoulder before he began to nip and lick her skin, Murielle let loose with a cry bordering on orgasmic.  "Damn you for doing this to me," she breathed while he slid his hands under the hem of her tank top to remove it.  Both of his hands drifted over the tight buds of her nipples which caused her to arch her back against the wall behind her and grip at the edge of the table in front of her.

"Yes, damn me for worshiping you the way you deserve.  You may be a mortal, but you are _mine_.  I could break you and put you back together in any manner I see fit, but I find you irresistible just as you are," he spoke as he removed the rest of her clothing with a wave of his hand.  If she had been in full command of herself, Murielle would have been aghast at being completely naked in such a public place, cloaking spell or not.  As it was, she could feel the pressure building in her abdomen.  Loki was either going to release her from it, or she was going to die from it.  

Loki continued his painfully slow attentions to her breasts.  As tears formed at the corners of Murielle's eyes, Loki squeezed her breasts.  While she cried out and writhed in the sweet agony of teetering on the edge of pleasure, Loki breathed into her ear, "You asked me what I want, Murielle.  I want you.  That is all.  You, who know my mind as well as you know your own, and still have no fear of me.  Right now, what I want most of all, is for you to come for me."

Her mind exploded, as surely as the rest of her, on his command.  Murielle's body was taken by a rip tide of pleasure and pain melded into one.  She could feel her own wetness gathering on the seat of the booth below her as she rocked her hips against nothing.  She had begun squirming in her seat so much that Loki had to hold her in place so that she didn't send the table flying.  Her orgasm continued and there was no end in sight.  Murielle would not be alone in this; she had enough presence of mind to let her right hand stroke Loki's erection that was trapped in his pants.  A sharp intake of air was all the confirmation that Murielle needed to know that she was headed in the right direction.  She went to undo his pants, when Loki grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"So greedy, my little fox.  This is all the satisfaction that you will get for now."  With that, Murielle's clothes were back on as if nothing had happened.  She was only now coming down from her orgasm, her panties soaked through completely.  Even at that, Murielle wanted more.  She _needed_ more, and nothing would slake her lust except the man who had just made her come with the lightest of touches and the sound of his voice.  Murielle pressed her thighs together, trying to quell the throbbing heat that was presently driving her to distraction.

Loki, meanwhile, nonchalantly reclined in the booth with his left arm draped across the back.  He picked up a portion of his sandwich.  His eyes fixed on Murielle, he slowly took a bite.  Swallowing it, he motioned to her plate and said, "You had better eat, pet.  You will need your strength for later."

"You are the biggest tease I have ever had the misfortune to meet," Murielle said with frustrated growl.

Chuckling darkly, Loki leaned over to whisper, "I'm not teasing, Murielle.  Just making a promise of things to come later.  I warned you that you might not like me having my powers back."

A delicious shiver rippled down Murielle's back at his breath on her neck.  She closed her eyes and said through gritted teeth, "I'm beginning to see what you meant.  You plan to drive me mad, don't you?"

"The God of Mischief is your lover, little fox.  It comes with the territory."


	23. Wasting Away Again in Margaritaville

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my God! This story lives!
> 
> I have had some serious writer's block on this one. The plot bunnies contracted rabies. I knew where I wanted to go, but was having trouble fleshing out how I would get there.
> 
> Enjoy!

Everyone jumped as sparks formed in midair, the fiery outline of a portal forming to frame the clear desert sky and rust colored hills behind Loki and Murielle as they walked through.  Tony stood in the center of the room, arms folded, as he looked from Murielle to Loki.  He had expected them to be a little worse for wear; Tony was pleasantly surprised to see that they only looked a little dusty and sweaty from their time in the desert.  He hid this behind a veneer of peevishness.

“Okay, you two.  We need to come to some sort of agreement on the whole,” Tony waved his hands and wiggled his fingers in the air, “hocus pocus thing.  You popping in whenever the hell you want, without warning, makes everyone a little antsy.”

He could see Murielle having a silent conversation with the God of Mischief.  Apparently, Loki “said” something amusing to make Murielle chuckle.

“And that!  That right there!  Rude!  If you can’t say it in front of everyone, have the courtesy to do what normal couples do: save it for when you’re alone.  Speaking of that, are you two lovebirds going to be nesting together?  Or should I plan on you pretending to live in separate quarters?”

It had not really occurred to Loki, since the bargain was struck with Fury, that he and Murielle would actually _share_ living quarters.  Of course, it was not unusual on Asgard for unmarried couples, especially courtesans and nobility of various stations (and martial status), to share a bed.  However, they would maintain separate chambers for the sake of appearances.  Loki silently explained this to Murielle.  Loki cocked an eyebrow at Murielle, " _Honestly, this is a new and unforeseen circumstance for me.  It is no secret what we get up to when we are alone, little fox._ "

" _You mean the situation would be different if we were on Asgard?_ " she asked with slightly raised eyebrows.

With a small smirk he replied, " _Probably not.  Being the spare to the heir has some advantages.  Odin was never as worried about appearances where I was concerned.  With the exception of my more..._ infamous _escapades._ "

He turned to Tony.  "If Murielle will have me, I can think no place that I would rather be."

Tony made a fake retching sound, then looked at Murielle.  "What did you do to him?  I think I preferred his Royal Moodiness to this."

The suggestive look on Loki's face instantly made Murielle blush as she gave him an unconvincingly stern look before she answered her friend and boss.  "A lady never tells, Tony."

A very red-faced and flustered Tony shook his head and walked off, muttering something about needing to wash his brain in tequila to rid himself of the mental images.  "She's like a sister to me, man!  The less I know, the better!" he shouted at Loki as he left the room for the bar across the street since the one in the hotel had been fried to a crisp.

"Then perhaps you should not ask questions to which you do not want the answers," Loki shouted back at Tony's retreating figure.

Everyone agreed that since Murielle had already booked the room, and it was obvious that she and Loki could use a little time on their own, that the two of them should stay in Mazatlán for the rest of the week.  The Avengers needed to return to New York, debrief with SHIELD, and prepare for Murielle and Loki to take up residence in The Tower.  Murielle already had everything she needed from her home and she had already called her sisters and brother to let them know that everything was alright.  Before taking his leave, Thor pulled Loki aside.

"I'm sure that I don't have to remind you that I am not the only one to be held accountable for anything that you do.  Lady Murielle will be just as culpable as you and I."

Loki rolled his eyes, "I have no plans to cause Murielle any distress, brother.  Do you not think that I can foresee the consequences of such a thing?  How does the Midgardian saying go?  'Happy wife, happy life'?"

"Loki!  Surely you don't mean to say you and Lady Murielle have-"

"No, we have not eloped.  However, she and I will be living under the same roof, Thor.  Even if she is not my wife in fact, she will be my wife in practice."

The God of Thunder's eyes widen.  "You must realize, brother, that a couple living together does not carry the same weight here as it does at home.  Jane often reminds me that for all of our advances, many of Asgard's customs are now considered antiquated.  What's more, what will Father have to say about it?"

"I am sure that Odin will have a great many things to say on the matter.  I am not obligated to hear any of them.  There is nothing he could say to change my intentions where she is concerned."

Thor looked at his brother, then his face broke into a broad smile as he read between the lines.  Thor's sudden bout of insight took Loki by surprise; he didn't think he was being _that_ transparent.  Before Loki could get out of his arm's reach, Thor picked him up in a bear hug and swung him around.

"Put me down, you buffoon!"

The commotion caused by Thor's sudden burst of brotherly affection and Loki's objections to it caused all eyes to turn toward them.  Something that Loki did _not_ want at the moment.  Now realizing that he was making a scene, Thor set his younger brother on his feet and tried to help straighten his clothes.  Loki waved him off with a scowl, preferring to fix his slightly disheveled appearance on his own.  Lowering his voice so only Thor could hear Loki grumbled, "Try not to divulge that information, brother.  I know you cannot keep a secret to save your life, but I prefer to speak with the lady before you start discussing the matter with others."

The blond warrior grinning stupidly, clapped his brother on the back with enough force to knock Loki forward a step as he replied, "Then don't drag your feet, brother."

As the others boarded the quinjet to return home, Murielle sidled up to Loki.  "What was Thor so excited about earlier?"

"Thor doesn't need a reason to behave that way.  Now," Loki gave her a playful smirk, "how shall we spend our time?  We have four days all to ourselves."

With a playful smirk of her own Murielle looked up at him, "I can think of one or two things that we can do to occupy our time..."

Murielle's voice trailed off as she turned to walk back to the hotel.  Sneaking up behind her, Loki wrapped his arms around her waist and teleported them back to their room.  Rather than them landing on their feet, Loki had focused on them landing on the bed.  Murielle landed on top of him, knocking the wind out of him with an "oomph!" as he caught her and rolled them over.  Their clothes vanished in a flash of green as Loki's lips eagerly found Murielle's.

His fingers wove in hers as he pulled her arms apart and pinned her to the mattress.  If her moans and writhing body weren't enough to demonstrate her arousal, Loki had only to peer into her thoughts and feel the energy coursing through her.  Being able to sense her emotions, Loki couldn't tell where his own ended and hers began.  Everything was amplified and focused on this moment.  " _Norns, what is this woman doing to me?_ " he thought fleetingly as his lips trailed down her neck toward her breasts.

Wrapping her legs around his torso so that she could rub herself against his muscular abdomen, Murielle answered him aloud.  "The same thing that you're doing to me, Loki.  I ache for you," she crooned as her arousal became more evident.

Groaning in response, Loki caught one of her pert nipples in his lips and sucked hard as he shifted between Murielle's legs.  There was no need to guide himself into Murielle's slick entrance.  Still suckling on her breast, Loki entered her with a swift snap of his hips.  Murielle cried out and squeezed her legs tighter around him, arching her back against the bed.  Loki drew a shaky breath as he fought the urge to fuck her mercilessly.  Instead, he maintained a glacial pace.  Slowly drawing himself out, almost completely, then inching his way back until his pubic bone ground against her clit.

There was nothing that Murielle could do but take what Loki gave her, however he chose.  She was still seeking relief from the virtually hands-free orgasm he had drawn out of her earlier.  " _Now, he wants to kill us both with need_ ," she thought.  Loki chuckled darkly as he released Murielle's breast to move to its neglected twin.  "I have no intention of dying, pet, but what a way to go," he purred before laving the tight bud of her nipple.  Murielle's mind was awash with the sensation of her building orgasm when Loki sharply thrust into her.

Being so joined together, Loki knew that she was close.  He could feel her swiftly approaching climax, barely able to tell if it was hers or his.  Murielle rolled her hips just a bit, causing Loki to growl.  His green eyes flashed as he took in her flushed face.  Although eclipsed by her pupils, Murielle's thin irises shimmered blue.  Grinding into him a bit more, Murielle moaned, "Come with me."

"Not yet, darling.  Not yet," he answered between panting breaths.

"Please, Loki.  I need you to come with me," Murielle could feel his seidr, its tendrils curling around her like vines and weaving itself into her own magical energy.  The ebb and flow of their energies, building between them finally push them both over the edge.  Loki came with a roar as Murielle's pulsating walls clutch at his cock, her body trembling with the intensity of both her climax and being able to feel his.  Murielle was still shaking as Loki gathered her into his arms.  Suddenly, he felt his eyes begin to sting with pent up tears.  Looking down, he saw Murielle had buried her face in his chest and he felt the telltale signs of her own tears falling.

"Murielle?  Darling?"

With a tiny sniffle, Murielle turned her face toward him.  "I'm sorry.  I-It was just so...so..."

"Intense?" Loki offered.  When she nodded, he answered, "It was.  Murielle, I have never felt anything like it.  I have had other magic-wielders, but never have I been able to feel everything so completely.  It was overwhelming for me, too."

Taking her face in his hands, Loki brushed her tears away with his thumbs before tenderly kissing her.  Even that simple act was imbued with so much emotion and magic that Murielle thought she was going to faint.  He rested his forehead against hers and whispered, "My darling little fox.  My Murielle."

She sighed with contentment, stroking the long muscles of his back until Loki rolled over so that he could lie on his back.  Murielle tucked herself into his side and nestled her head against his shoulder.  Loki let his fingertips trail down her back.  Still adjusting to just how in tune they were to one another, they watch the sun set and spoke without uttering a word.  Murielle told Loki about her attempt to reach out to Navit and what the dealer said about her father.

" _Loki, what do we do?_ "

" _I don't know, but we will face it together.  I care not who this being thinks he is.  I will not be parted from you._ "

" _He said that he knew where I was.  That he was coming for me._ "

" _Then we have the advantage.  We know he is coming.  Odds are, he does not know the full extent of your abilities.  Or that you are with me._ "

Murielle broke the silence.  "I don't know about you, but I'm starving now.  Do you want to go get dinner?"

Before he could answer, Loki's stomach grumbled.  They both laughed as Loki said, "Well, darling.  There is your answer."

Rising from the bed, Loki offered his hand to Murielle.  Hauling her to her feet, Loki manifested clothes about both of them.  The God of Mischief and young sorceress ventured out, arm in arm.

* * *

"Jane, I know that you're upset-"

"Upset!  I don't think that's a strong enough word, Thor!  I know he's your brother, but why does he have to stay here?"

It was the day after Loki and Murielle had been left to their mini-break in Mexico.  Thor was trying his best to talk to Jane and explain the situation.  He would have much rather had this conversation in private, but Jane was so busy walking away in frustration that she didn't notice her feet carrying her into the common area at The Tower.  Everyone, minus Tony, was there.

For her part, Jane was worried that Loki would try to kill Thor.  Or try to conquer Earth again.  Or that he would escape and cause trouble elsewhere.  To Jane, Loki was a loose cannon and it was only under Thor's constant vigilance that he was kept from doing any more damage.  It was bad enough when he had left Loki at SHIELD headquarters.  Erik had freaked out so badly that he had refused to leave SHIELD's facility in New Mexico, even though he was scheduled to be in New York to meet with her and the rest of the team in charge of developing Earth's version of the Bifrost.  The last she had heard from him, he was hiding out in one of the emergency bunkers.

"Why do you have to watch him?  As it is, we don't have much time together."

Thor's face brightened at this.  "Actually, Loki does not require my supervision.  Stark's employee, Murielle Bonneau, will be the one to keep Loki occupied."

Darcy entered the room at this point, hearing who was in charge of watching Loki.  "Whoa!  You mean the gal that every one at SHIELD is scared of?   _She's_ going to be watching Loki?"

Thor's brow furrowed.  "I know that Lady Murielle has a troubled past with SHIELD.  But, she and Loki worked together to defeat a grave threat.  One that may be only the first magical threat that we have seen.  She has agreed to work with the Sorcerer Supreme to get her powers under control and to work with SHIELD.  By extension, Loki will also be working with SHIELD."

Jane shook her head.  "Thor, 'troubled past' doesn't begin to cover it.  Do you know what happened?  Why everyone is scared of her?"

"Yes, I do.  I also know that as misunderstood as her powers are, she was not entirely responsible for all that happened in the past.  You will see, Jane.  She is good for my brother."  He cupped the side of her face in his large hand and stared in to Jane's eyes.  "They are good for each other."

Darcy looked from Jane to Thor.  All she could think is that any one who would willing get involved with Loki had to be just as crazy as he was.  Just then, Tony entered the room.  His phone was on speaker and everyone could hear a woman's voice on the other end, “Stop poking at my face, Loki.”

Loki chuckle came through the phone, “I am only checking to see how many shades you have reddened.  I don’t even think that Thor’s cape is that red.  I am almost certain that it goes even further than your lovely face, but there is only one way to know for sure…”

“You know what?  I’m hanging up now!” Tony shouted.

Once he hung up the phone, Tony to a big swig of the soda in his hand, wishing it were straight whiskey.  He then looked at Thor and shook his head.  “Those two are going to be trouble, aren’t they?  All I did was call to check on them and got a heavy dose of TMI instead!”

Thor shrugged, “I personally prefer that Loki be jovial, rather than sullen.  He has not been this way since…well, since he lost his betrothed.” 

“Hold on,” Natasha couldn’t believe her ears.  “Loki?  Loki was going to get married?”

“Oh yes, Natasha!  He was madly in love with the maiden.  So much so, that he had promised to serve her father on his campaigns in Nornheim even when Asgard had no alligiance to that realm at the time.  Father was furious!”

“What happened?” Tony asked.  “Maybe a married Loki would’ve been too busy to invade planets and destroy realms.”

Thor’s face fell, “She died.  Tragically.  In fact, I don’t believe that Loki ever recovered from the loss.  What’s worse, her family blamed him for it when he wasn’t at fault.  Loki helping destroy Vardun was not simply protecting Murielle.  It was an act of vengeance.”

Everyone was silent.  They had trouble believing that the same being that had led a alien army to attack New York was capable of loving anyone so much that it would destroy him.  The silence was broken by the sound of Jane's phone ringing.  She answered and put it on speaker, "Erik!  Hi.  How are you doing?"

"Fine, Jane.  However, you might want to take a look at some of the satellite surveillance.  There are some unusual images."

"Sure, Erik.  Where am I looking?" Jane asked as she dug through her bag for her laptop.

"Not the satellites pointed toward Earth, Jane.  The other ones."

Tony quirked an eyebrow.  Of course he knew about SHIELD's other satellites, the ones meant to capture images and signals coming in from space.  The ones that cost billions of dollars to launch and set up so that they wouldn't interfere with the others already orbiting the planet.  This was the first he had heard of them actually capturing anything.  He looked over Jane's shoulder, curiosity getting the better of him.  What he saw made him drop his drink, shattered glass and soda spraying everywhere.


	24. The Roof, The Roof, The Roof is on Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we see why Loki doesn't do "date night."

"Now, was that truly necessary?"

"My darling little fox, I'm not certain I know what you mean."

The pair had taken a small booth in the cantina after dinner.  From there seats, they had a clear view of the dance floor, the U-shaped bar, and the patio beyond.  The party crowd was just starting to drift in from various restaurants and hotels.  Up to that point, Loki and Murielle had been able to enjoy themselves without drawing too much attention.  Although, more than once, Murielle caught a wide assortment of men and women (both tourists and locals) checking out her strikingly handsome companion.  Even then, they were able to dine undisturbed.  Now, her attention was drawn to the bar by shouting and sight of a man trying to remove his sports coat in an awful hurry.

In his haste to take off the jacket, the man tore one of its sleeves, the sound resonating through the room.  The poor, hapless bastard was now furiously swatting at himself and smacking his arms and chest.  This was followed by the man's frenzied removal of his shirt, which revealed that he was being attacked by a swarm of tiny insects.  Angry red welts began to spread across the man's now-exposed upper body as horrified onlookers sought to put some distance between themselves and whatever was attacking him.  Murielle gave Loki a sidelong glance.  For his part, Loki took a long sip of his drink.  While that may have kept him from grinning, Murielle saw the twinkle in his eye and could practically feel the laughter starting to bubble up from his chest.

"You know damn well what I mean.  That's clearly your handiwork."

He shrugged as he set his beverage down on the table.  "Midgard is not without its own unusual flora and fauna.  Besides, if that man had been more attentive, he might not have seated himself right where that army of fire ants was crawling.  Instead, he was staring at you."

Murielle scoffed, "I doubt that he was staring.  He may have glanced this way, once or twice, but I hardly consider that an offense."

"You are right, darling.  He was not staring.  He was ogling...and _that_ is an offense worthy of being plagued with biting insects," he replied with a satisfied smirk in the man's direction.

"Loki, if I did that to every person I saw undressing you with their eyes this evening, they might think that there was a pestilence in this town and place it under quarantine.  Just promise that you won't do that to anyone else, please?"

He grimaced at her suggestion.  Rolling her eyes, Murielle relented, "Fine.  You can do that to the ones that are actually bold enough to try approaching me, alright?"

"Very well," he sighed.  "Only the ones that have a death wish."

"No, Loki!  You can't kill them!"

Loki smiled at her indulgently, "I am only teasing you, Murielle.  Mostly."

She tried to give him a stern look, but failed miserably when she saw the grin on his face.  The wink that he gave her pushed Murielle from mild tittering to outright laughter; the look on his face and the unconventional nature of their conversation proved to be too much.  He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side, laughing along with her.  She had nestled her head into his shoulder as he placed a kiss on her forehead.  The hairs on the back of Loki's neck stood on end.  Sensing that they were being watched, he looked over the top of Murielle's head in time to see a white haired man framed by the archway leading out to the street beyond.

Loki had previous dealings with the being whose eyes were now trained on him.  The man's gaze drifted down to the woman, a sly grin stretching his mouth as he began to make his way through the bar.  " _Murielle_ ," Loki's use of their new-found telepathy made her look up at him.  His jaw was tense and his eyes were fixed on something in front of him.  She made to turn around, but Loki tightened his arm around her.

" _No sudden movements, but I think it is best that we leave.  Do not run.  It will only attract unwanted attention_."

She gave him the slightest of nods and slid across the seat.  When she stood to exit the booth, she cast a look about the bar in an attempt to see whatever creature that had Loki so riled.  Her eyes flitted over crowd, the sounds of raucous conversation and laughter becoming muffled as she spied a rather eccentric individual heading their way.  Even if she couldn't sense that he was (by far) the oldest creature in the room, Murielle noted that he stood out like a sore thumb.  He was wearing a full three-piece suit in a Mexican beach town, for Christ's sake!  As if that wasn't enough, the suit appeared to be a zoot suit made of leather.  He had elaborately coiffed white hair and...was that eyeliner?  All he needed was a crunk cup and a big hat to look like a pimp straight out of Chapelle's Show.

Loki had her by the elbow and was hustling her out the door.  "Subtlety is apparently something lost on creatures older than a hundred years," she muttered as they reached the landing to the beach access stairs.

"Why be subtle when one can make a statement to the masses?" Loki quipped as he urged her down the stairs ahead of him.

As soon as their feet hit the sand, Loki grabbed Murielle to teleport back to their room, then out of Mexico.  Green light swirled around them, but nothing happened.  It was then that they heard a voice chuckling behind them.  It was the voice that Murielle recognized as belonging to Renault Navit.

"Your Highness, it is an unexpected pleasure to see you looking so well.  I suppose that one could attribute it to the company that you have chosen to keep."

Loki and Murielle turned to face the man, matching scowls on their faces.  " _Smarmy little asshole, isn't he?  I think we can take him_ ," Murielle thought with a sideways glance.

Loki flicked his eyes toward her as he replied, " _Little fox, I appreciate your confidence, but trust me when I say this is one fight we do not want to pick at the moment_."

The older being cleared his throat.  "Do pardon my interruption, Miss Bonneau, but it appears that the younger Prince of Asgard has forgotten his manners.  My name is..."

"I know who you are," Murielle interrupted him.  "Renault Navit.  I'd recognize your voice anywhere, especially considering that you had threatened me over the phone."

Her accusation made the white-haired man bristle.  "Young lady, I did no such thing!  I have been sent to take you home to your father...your _real_ father.  And besides, my name is not Renault Navit.  It is..."

"Tanaleer Tivan," Loki finished the man's sentence.  The other man regarded Loki with annoyance, which was returned with a sneer.  "Also known as The Collector.  I'm surprised that you would leave the security of your fortress, Tivan.  Although, you cannot make me believe for one moment that you are this charming woman's father."

Mortification overtook The Collector's features.  "Certainly not!  I have been contracted by her father, who has been quite generous in his compensation.  He had another party helping to gather his progeny, but alas that other party has since...resigned his position.  But then, what else can one expect from Ravagers?  Such an unsavory bunch."

"Wait.  'Progeny?'  That seems like such an odd word for a father to use when talking about his children."  Murielle continued to regard this eldritch being with incredulity.

"Your father has sired many offspring, of many different species.  Not all of his offspring are 'children' as you would understand them.  In fact, he himself is not necessarily a 'he', although that is the form that he has chosen for the present.  He is a Celestial called Ego.  He is a living planet.  Now, he is gathering all of his offspring to himself."

Murielle's brow furrowed.  "Hold on.  A living planet?  A Celestial?  Uh," she turned to Loki, "I thought you said that Celestials were too big to erm, you know, with humans.  And that they were extinct, to boot."

Loki had just opened his mouth to reply when Tivan gave her a wry smile.  “You will have an opportunity to tell him these things yourself.  He is here now.”  As he said this, Murielle heard the footsteps of someone else approaching them from the the stairs nearby.  A man with thick hair and beard (more gray than brown) and piercing blue eyes came to a stop on the beach.  His eyes widened with shock as he whispered, “Alice?” 

Murielle had never seen him before, but there was something so familiar about him.  He wasn’t extraordinarily tall, but what he lacked in physical size he made up for in presence.  He wore a brown cloak with tan tunic, brown pants, and tall, brown boots.  Whoever he was, he was even older than The Collector, possibly a being from the dawn of Creation itself.  When she found her voice, Murielle could only shake her head and say, “No.  Alice was my mother.”

This mystery man blinked at looked at her even harder.  “You look exactly like her.  She named you Murielle, didn’t she? My name is Ego, and I’m your dad.”  He turned to Tivan and tossed him what looked like a thick stack of baccarat chips. “Thanks for finding her.  This should cover the costs and your fee.”

The Collector bowed at the waist to the newcomer, then he turned to Murielle.  “Young lady, I sincerely hope to see you again soon.  A fascinating creature such as you should really be cared for more attentively than your current conditions would allow.”  This made Murielle bristle but remain silent as space Liberace took his leave.  She turned her attention to the man now standing before her and Loki.  In a moment that should have been serious, Murielle couldn’t help herself.  “Ego?  No offense, but isn’t the name a bit too on the nose?  Especially if you’re a living planet and all.  Besides, I think there’s enough ego here,” she said this last part while looking squarely at the space Viking standing next to her.

“Now, _that_ is rather uncalled for,” Loki interjected. 

Ego glared at Loki and continued, “Yes, I suppose there is a touch of irony there.  You should have been able to do better than this one.  I’m sure that you know, Asgardian, that I am not pleased with my daughter’s involvement in your affairs.”

Loki squared his shoulders and stared down the Celestial.  “What pleases you does not concern me.  Protecting her does.”

“Oh, yes.  You have done an excellent job at that,” Ego said with a voice that dripped sarcasm.  “I know about Vardun’s attack on her.  I also know how Thanos used you to try to get the Space Stone.  He knows where all the Infinity Stones are located now, and he plans to use you and her to collect them.”

Murielle stepped closer to Loki.  “If you know about Vardun attacking me, then you also know that Loki is the reason that I am still here and not being controlled by Vardun.  Where were you?  Watching with a bucket of popcorn?”

He turned to face her, unsure whether to be amused or annoyed by her comment.  “You are not my only offspring, Murielle.  I had to ensure the safety of the others, too.”

“Oh, so you’re just a deadbeat with the one that has a dark sorcerer and a psychotic extraterrestrial chasing her?  Thanks, a lot.  Now, you can promptly fuck off this planet.  I think I’ll take my chances defending myself,” Murielle snarked back.

“Now you’re just being obnoxious.  You are coming with me, Murielle.  It’s for your own good.” 

“The hell I am!  What reason do I have to trust you?  None!  You sat back and let some minion of Thanos attack me.  This one,” Murielle said pointing at Loki, “can be an pain in the ass, but he's _my_ pain in the ass.  At least was willing to fight to protect me!”

Loki looked at Ego with smug satisfaction, but still conjured his daggers and readied himself.  Ego stepped closer.  “I don’t need to ask you, Murielle.  I can simply take you.  I will, if that’s what must be done.”

Murielle threw her hands up and sent a blast of energy right at Ego’s chest.  He took a few steps back but stayed on his feet.  Ego’s hands batted at the sparks that set his cloak on fire as he chuckled, “Well, I didn’t think you’d packed that big of a punch, but you’ll need to do better than that.” 

Loki stepped between the Celestial and Murielle, forcing her behind him.  When he did, green light emanated from his eyes and hands.  With a predatory grin spreading across his face he said, “How about picking on someone your own size?”

Before Ego could do anything, Loki lunged at him.  The moonlight gleamed off Loki's daggers as he attacked the Celestial.  Ego seemed entirely unprepared for the ferocity of Loki's attack and had stumbled backward.  The Celestial was staggering to his feet, his eyes now filled with anger directed at the young god who had tapped into his powers.  Ego was about to charge, making a grab for Murielle, when she held her hand up and caught him mid-stride.  Ego’s feet left the ground and she held him there.  “Now,” said Murielle, “I think you need to actually consider the situation.  I am not going anywhere with you.  As you can see, I am capable of protecting myself or having help nearby.  You do, however, have some questions to answer.”

He looked down at her, then to the God of Mischief.  “How is she doing that?  I know that her mother was able to move things with her mind, but only when angry.”

Loki smirked, “One of the things that she has to discuss with you.  Now, if you can guarantee no further attempts at abduction, she might let you down.  What do you think, darling?”

Her eyes, never leaving Ego, narrowed to slits.  She let out a disgusted sigh and released him from her hold.  His feet on the ground, the two men followed her back to the bar.  They were able to locate an out of the way table.  A member of the wait staff took their orders; Murielle ordered an extra shot to go with her drink.  Ego chuckled, “She’s more like her mother than she realizes.”

Murielle turned to him.  “I guess that’s as good a place to start as any.  How did you even meet Mom?”

“Your mother?  I saw her, walking on the beach not too far from here just as the sun was setting.  I knew that she was no ordinary mortal.  I had been alone so long and her very soul was brighter than any sun I had ever seen.” 

“Was she already married to our dad when you saw her?”

“No.  Not that it would have mattered.  I wanted her the moment I saw her, and I could have shifted into another form to be with her.”

“You are a shapeshifter?” Loki asked. 

“I have the ability to assume any form that I choose.  However, when I met Alice, I appeared to her much as I am now, though much younger looking.”

“So, other than going around and fathering children with unsuspecting women, what else can you tell me?  What about my powers?"

Ego looked at her with his unwavering gaze.  “I knew that your mother was part Vanir, even though a thousand years separated her from her ancestor.  It should be no surprise that having me as a father awakened those powers in you.” 

“Why did you leave her?” 

“It is not in my nature to stay in one place for too long.  I was with your mother for as long as it took for her to meet the man who raised you.  I came back to her once, after she was married.  It was then that you were conceived.”

“Mom cheated on Dad?” 

“No.  I assumed Bernard's appearance.  I knew that she would not come to me otherwise.”

“How did Mom learn that I was an alien’s baby?” 

“Your mother knew the same way that many beings know that you are unusual, Murielle.  As you matured, and your powers began to show themselves, your mother had no doubt that you were no ordinary human.”

“What other sorcery skills to I possess?”

“Other than the abilities that you have shown already?  You are connected to The Light.  You have the ability to control matter and energy, even your own form."

"You're saying that she can shape shift?" Loki asked with a bit of skepticism.

"It would make sense, right?  I can change my form at will," as Ego spoke he morphed into the figure of a much younger man with pale blue eyes, fair skin, and dark hair.  Judging by the gasp that escaped her, it was the form of Murielle's father, Bernard.

Reverting back to his original form, Ego continued to speak.  "You also have the strength to handle objects of immense power.  And that is the reason you must come with me now.  You know that the Thanos seeks to not simply conquer existence.  He seeks to destroy existence.  All of existence.  He will do this with the Infinity Stones, which I know that you both have heard of and seen.”

“To what end?  He would destroy everything, including himself.  It makes no sense,” replied Murielle.

“That is why they call him the ‘Mad Titan,’ I suppose.  While he seeks to destroy, I plan to create and reorder the universe, bringing it into harmony.  It is your purpose to help me in this work.  You were born for this."

"What about what I want?  The purpose that I have discovered on my own, without your help?"

Ego scoffed at her, "You can't expect me to believe that whatever purpose you have invented for yourself is more important than what I have in store.  Now, are you coming with me or do I have to drag you out of here?”

The woman’s face was eerily detached, but her eyes danced with fury and the air in the room began to shift.  People not privy to the conversation being had in the dark corner booth began to squirm and have an overwhelming desire to step outside for some fresh air.  Murielle’s voice was low and dangerous, “You do not have the privilege of ordering me about.  I already had a father, God rest his soul, and you.  Are.  Not.  Him.  Do not make the mistake of believing that because you and I are blood that we are anything alike.  Or that I owe you a damn thing.”

"Fine.  It looks like we're doing this the hard way."

Ego lunged across the table for Murielle, but hit a wall of energy and threw him backward and out of the booth.  He crashed landed onto the table behind him.  Loki took advantage of his disorientation to teleport him and Murielle to their room.  With a flick of his wrists their belongings were packed away and secured.  She made a portal into Stark Tower just as the floors and walls of their room began to waver and were consumed by blue flames.  Flames followed her and Loki through the portal, scorching the floor and walls as the fell into The Tower's common area, skidding across the polished floor and slamming into the wall behind them.  Murielle waved her hand, drawing the portal shut.

Murielle fell back against Loki, who had taken the brunt of the impact.  His hand came up to stroke her hair as he said in a dazed voice, "No offense, darling, but your father might be just a tad bit worse father than Odin."

Loki’s brow furrowed.  “What do you mean, Murielle?”

“You didn’t see it, then?  When Ego said that his purpose was to ‘create and reorder the universe’?”

"What did you see?"

Murielle shook her head vehemently.  "I...I can't."

"Darling, do not carry this burden alone," he cautiously reached out his hand to her.  "Show me what you saw."

Before she could dodge him, Loki grabbed a hold of her arm.  The moment his skin made contact with hers, Loki's vision was filled with myriad images.  First came a vision of millions of beings, all sired by Ego, being brought to him.  Loki saw, through Murielle, that Ego would treat them kindly at first.  Then, he would seek to have them demonstrate their abilities.  When they failed (and they all did), he would disintegrate them in a flash of blue light.  He then saw a cavern filled with the skeletal remains of all of these creatures whose only misfortune was being the offspring of a ruthless Celestial.

The next images were Star systems, no, entire _galaxies_ , overtaken by pulsating blue and gray masses.  The beings of these star systems fleeing in terror before being overtaken and perishing.  Ego's...well, it look to be most elemental himself, spreading across the universe.  At the center of it, was the Celestial and Murielle.  In this vision, she was not his darling little fox.  She was beautiful and terrifying: the fullness of her abilities freed of her partially mortal form.  Along side Ego, she laid waste to vast swathes of the universe and remade it in fulfillment of Ego's grand design.

In coaxing Murielle to reveal these visions to him, he also opened himself to the turmoil of her own thoughts and emotions.  The anger, the pain, the betrayal, the terror...It was too much.  His grip on her arm slipped, and Loki felt himself fall into an all-enveloping darkness.

He must not have been out long.  When he came around, he found himself propped with his head rested against something warm and soft.  Loki's vision came into focus and he spied two shapely legs bracketing his much longer ones.  One of Murielle's arms was wrapped around him; she was stroking he hair with her free hand as she pleaded for him to awaken.  There was a sound of rushing footsteps, followed by anxious shouts.  Even as he regained consciousness, his head was throbbing.

Stark, Rogers, and Thor came rushing to where Loki and Murielle were on the floor.  From the looks on their faces, they assumed (correctly) that something had gone wrong for them to return ahead of schedule.  "Murielle, what happened?" Stark asked as his eyes flicked from Loki to the woman that currently had the god cradled in her arms.  Loki couldn't see her face, but he knew that her face was wrought with worry.  The thick rasp of her voice revealed that she was crying, "We just had a run-in with my real father.  As you can tell, it wasn't a friendly chat."

"He wouldn't have anything to do with a spaceship orbiting Earth, would he?"

Loki groaned at the dull ache at his temples.  Shifting in Murielle's arms so that he could stand, he answered Tony.  "I'm afraid so, Stark."

He rose to his feet, stable enough to offer Murielle a hand off the floor.  "If what Murielle saw when she peered into his mind is any indication, we may have our hands full."

"Wait.  What do you mean 'spaceship', Tony?"

Tony motioned to the tablet in his hand,  "Have a look."

Murielle and Loki, their eyes following Tony's gesture, seeing a large egg-shaped object floating between Earth and the moon.  Tony's lips quirked into the beginnings of a smirk.  "Please don't tell me your dad is Mork from Ork."

The Asgardians gave each other puzzled looks while Steve just stared at Tony.  In spite of the dire circumstances, Murielle couldn't help herself.  She was about to reply with "Nanu Nanu" when the display became pixelated and coalesced into Ego's image.  In fact, every screen within the Tower came to life and displayed the same image.

Loki and Murielle simultaneously muttered to themselves, "Oh shit."


End file.
